Physical Geography Foundations Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards derived from introductory physical geography concepts, including geographic methods, scientific inquiry, Earth spheres, and system dynamics.

Physical Geography

The study of the impacts of spatial distributions of the natural environment on people, the processes that create and change these distributions, and the interconnections within the natural environment.

Holistic Perspective

An approach to studying geographic topics that incorporates broad, interconnected factors, such as analyzing the impact of political policies on soil erosion.

Field Classification of Geography

The classification of geography as both a natural science and a social science.

Geographic Perspective

The viewpoint that distinguishes geography from other fields by examining how spatial features affect and are affected by nonspatial issues.

Steepness of a Slope

A physical slope characteristic that directly suggests to a geographer the type of rock that might be present to form soils.

Mountain Precipitation Relationship

The spatial pattern where mountaintops generally experience more precipitation than the surrounding lowlands.

Basis of Geographic Questions

The conceptual notion that the location of an object affects, and is affected by, other features in both the natural and human environment.

Qualitative Data

Descriptive non-numerical data gathered during investigation, such as a physical geographer noting the color of a soil.

Hypothesis

A proposed explanation developed before formal investigation.

Rejected Hypothesis

A proposed explanation that fails testing in an investigation but can be revisited in future studies.

Biosphere

The Earth sphere that intersects with all of the other spheres.

Lithosphere

The solid upper part of the Earth, including the crust and uppermost mantle.

Open System

A system that can acquire matter and energy, such as an aquarium when fish food is added to it.

Closed System

A system that cannot acquire matter and energy.