1. Chapter 1 Essentials of Geography
Robert W. Christopherson
Charlie Thomsen

2. Essentials of Geography
The Science of Geography  
Earth Systems Concepts  
Location and Time on Earth  
Maps, Scales, Legend, and Projections  
Remote Sensing and GIS  

3. The Science of Geography
Geography – from geo “Earth” and graphein “to write” 
Geography is
a method, not a body of knowledge
holistic
eclectic
Geographers use spatial analysis and earth system approaches

4. Geography Is The science that studies the relationships among
natural systems
geographic areas
society
cultural activities
and the interdependence of all of these over space

5. Physical Geography Is
The spatial analysis of all the physical elements and processes that make up the environment

6. Figure 1.2

7. Scientific Method
Figure FS 1.1.1

8. Earth Systems Concepts
Open systems (with input and output from outside of the system)
Closed systems (no input or output)
System feedback (interactions among components of a system)
System equilibrium (static status; balanced)

9. Example
Figure 1.3

10. Earth’s Four Spheres
Figure 1.8

11. Earth’s Dimensions
Figure 1.9

12. Location and Time on Earth
Latitude-angular distance from the equator
Longitude-angular distance from the Prime meridian
Great circles-any cuts that go through the center of the earth
Prime Meridian-0 longitude
Standard time

13. Great Circles and Small Circles (cuts not go through center)
Figure 1.14

14. Latitude-90S to 90N marked by parallels (parallel to equator)
Each degree of latitude has the same length anywhere on the earth
Figure 1.11

15. Latitudinal Geographic Zones
Figure 1.12

16. Longitude-180E to 180W marked by meridians
The length of each degree longitude decreases with latitude
Figure 1.13

18. Degree conversion 1 º=60’ 1’=60’’ True or false 91º35’0’’N

19. Characteristics A great Circle:
Marks the shorted distance between 2 points on the earth’s surface
All meridians are part of a great circle
A Small circle:
All parallels, except for the equator are part of a small circle.

20. Time zone 1 hours time zone = 360º/24 hours=15ºlongitude
Prime median: Royal Observatory at Greenwich in England (0º longitude)
International Date Line: 180ºE/W

21. Prime Meridian and Standard Time
Figure 1.17

22. Time zone
If you travel from north America to Asia across the International Dateline
You skip one day
If you travel from Asia to North America across the International Dateline,
You repeat one day

23. Maps, Scales, and Projections
Map – a generalized view of an area, as seen from above and reduced in size
Scale – ratio of map units to ground units
Projection – process of transforming spherical Earth to flat map

24. Properties of a globe
Parallels are always parallel to each other and decrease in length towards the pole
Meridians converges towards pole
Distance between meridians decreases towards the pole
Parallels and meridians always across each other at a right angle

25. Classes of Map Projections
Figure 1.21

26. Example of Cylindrical projection-Mercator
True shape; scale varies with latitudes;
Rhumb line (navigation line that across all meridians at the same angle following a compass direction): straight line of constant direction has true direction
Good for tropical areas

27. Example of Planar projection-gnomonic
Great circles are projected as a straight line;
Good for polar regions

28. Conic projection
Good for middle latitude regions

30. Map scales

31. Small scale and large scale map
1/100 is a large scale map compared to 1/200
A large scale map covers smaller areas but with more details (zoom in)
A small scale map covers larger areas but with less details (zoom out)

32. Remote Sensing-measure without physical contact of instrument with the object
Active remote sensing-send radar waves and receive reflected waves
Passive remote sensing-received radiation

33. Active and Passive Remote Sensing
Figure 1.25

34. Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
GIS systems combine spatial and attribute data 
Maps can contain multiple data layers:
Physical features
Cultural features
Layers can be added to create composite overlay

35. GIS System Model
Figure 1.29