Physical Geography Looking at the Earth

1. Physical Geography Looking at the Earth Geography involves the study of places: their locations, their characteristics, and how humans use and move around them. Satellite image of Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. NEXT

2. Physical Geography Looking at the Earth The Five Themes of Geography SECTION 1 SECTION 2 The Geographer’s Tools NEXT

3. Section 1 The Five Themes of Geography • Geographers view the world in terms of the use of space. • Geographers study the world by looking at location, place, region, movement, and human-environment interaction. NEXT

4. SECTION The Five Themes of Geography 1 The Geographer’s Perspective Geographers and Historians • Historians look at events over time • Geographers look at: - use of space on Earth - interactions that take place there - patterns and connections between people and land • Geographyis the study of the distribution and interaction of: - physical features on Earth - human features on Earth Continued . . . NEXT

5. SECTION 1 continuedThe Geographer’s Perspective Methods of Geography • Geographers use a variety of tools: - maps - photographs - charts, graphs, tables - scale models - five themes of geography Image NEXT

6. SECTION 1 Theme: Location Where is it? • Absolute location—exact place where a geographic feature is found • Relative location—location of a place compared to places around it Continued . . . NEXT

7. SECTION 1 continuedTheme: Location Absolute Location • Earth is divided into two equal halves, vertically and horizontally • Each vertical and horizontal half is called a hemisphere • An imaginary line, the Equator, divides north and south halves • Anotherimaginary line, the Prime Meridian, divides east and west Map Continued . . . NEXT

8. SECTION 1 continuedTheme: Location Latitude Lines • Geographers use latitude lines to locate places north and south • Latitude—imaginary lines that run parallel to the equator Map Longitude Lines • Geographers use longitude lines to mark positions east and west • Longitude—imaginary lines that go over the poles • Where latitude and longitude lines cross is the absolute location Map Continued . . . NEXT

9. SECTION 1 continuedTheme: Location Relative Location • How a place is related to its surrounding environment NEXT

10. SECTION 1 Theme: Place What is it Like? • Place includes physical features and cultural characteristics: - physical features include climate, landforms, vegetation - cultural characteristics include dams, highways, houses Image NEXT

11. SECTION 1 Theme: Region How are Places Similar or Different? • A region is an area united by similar characteristics • Unifying characteristics—physical, political, economic, cultural • Three types of regions: - formal - functional - perceptual Continued . . . NEXT

12. SECTION 1 continuedTheme: Region Formal Regions • Defined by a limited number of related characteristics • Formal regions of the world: - The United States and Canada - Latin America - Europe - Russia and the Republics - Africa - Southwest Asia - South Asia - East Asia - Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Antarctica Continued . . . NEXT

13. SECTION 1 continuedTheme: Region Functional Regions • Organized around interactions and connections between places • Example: a city and its suburbs are connected through human movement Perceptual Regions • Region with characteristics people perceive in much the same way • Example: the American Midwest • Sometimes perceptions differ: Does Midwest begin in Ohio or Illinois? NEXT

14. SECTION 1 Theme: Human-Environment Interaction How Do People Relate to the Physical World? • A relationship exists between people and their environment • People use and change the environment to meet their needs • People adapt to environmental conditions they cannot change • Often, people in similar environments adapt in different ways Image NEXT

15. SECTION 1 Theme: Movement How Do People, Goods, and Ideas Get from One Place to Another? • Geographers use three types of distance to analyze movement: - linear distance - time distance - psychological distance Image Linear Distance and Time Distance • Linear distance—how far a person, product, or idea travels • Time distance—how long it takes for person, product, idea to travel Continued . . . NEXT

16. SECTION 1 continuedTheme: Movement Psychological Distance • Refers to the way people perceive distance • Example: unfamiliar places may seem farther away than familiar ones NEXT

17. Section 2 The Geographer’s Tools • Geographers use two- and three-dimensional tools to learn about the earth. • Geographers use computer-assisted technology to study the use of the earth’s surface. NEXT

18. SECTION The Geographer’s Tools 2 Maps and Globes Visualizing Earth • Oldest known map: Babylonian clay tablet, circa 500 B.C. • Maps show locations of places, landforms, bodies of water Continued . . . NEXT

19. SECTION 2 continuedMaps and Globes Two or Three Dimensions • Globe—athree-dimensional representation (a sphere) of Earth • Map—a two-dimensional graphic representation of Earth’s surface • Cartographer (mapmaker) tries to accurately reflect earth’s surface • Mapprojection—way of showing Earth’s curved surface on a flat map Interactive Continued . . . NEXT

20. SECTION 2 continuedMaps and Globes Types of Maps • Three types of maps: general reference, thematic, navigational • A topographic map is one kind of general reference map • Topographic map—shows natural and man-made features of earth • Thematic map—shows specific data such as climate, population density • A navigation map is used by sailors, pilots NEXT

21. SECTION The Geographer’s Tool 2 The Science of Mapmaking Surveying • Surveyors observe, measure, record what they see in a specific area • Remote sensing, gathering geographic data from a distance, includes: - aerial photography - satellite imaging Interactive Continued . . . NEXT

22. SECTION 2 continuedThe Science of Mapmaking Satellites • Best known satellites are Landsat and GOES • Landsatis a series of satellites; can scan entire planet in 16 days • Geostationary Operational Environment Satellite (GOES): - orbits in sync with Earth’s rotation - gathers images of atmospheric conditions Continued . . . NEXT

23. SECTION 2 continuedThe Science of Mapmaking Geographic Information Systems • Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a digital geographic database • Combines and displays information from many sources Global Positioning System (GPS) • Uses series of 24 Navstar satellites to beam information to Earth • Hand-held GPS receivers on Earth display exact position • GPS used by explorers, sailors, drivers; also used to track animals NEXT

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