ESCI 1101 - Physical Geography: U1 Intro

earth as our natural habitat

it meets the needs for humans, and is suitable for us to live in long-term.

examples of our dependence on nature and the earth

it provides humans air, water, food, and stable temperatures in a contained, closed system - but is not limitless and can runout eventually.

remote sensing

making observations without any physical contact

ability of humans to view earth from space

first photo of earth = 80 years ago

has progressed from a grainy black and white photo to a full, in color, clear picture of earth.

geography

the written or recorded description, study, and analysis of earth.

phenomena

things that naturally occur on earth; rainforest, volcanoes, earthquakes

relationships between the location of tropical rainforests and the equator

the interrelationship of the climate due to the location of the land; warm air rises, and then creating precipitation (+ convection and density); making those areas become hot and humid, and rain often.

3 emphasis on geography

1. physical and cultural attributes varying from place to place

2. How places and features change overtime

3. processes and interactions that are responsible for these variations

spatial

nature & character of a space, physically

temporal

how things change overtime, and at different rates

regions

an area that is identified by certain charcteristics that make it more distinctive from its surrounding environment

tools that are used in geography

maps, computer models, satellite imagery, GPS, GIS, fieldwork

computer models

simulations, animations, climate changes

satellite imagery

observations from a distance, helps create quantitative data

GPS (global positioning system)

24 satellites that work together to make imagery

GIS (geographic information system)

put in remote sensing data, overlay data

fieldwork

people physically going outside to gather info in nature

independent variable

variable that is CONTROLLED by experiment

independent of all other variables in experiment

x

dependent variable

TESTED and MEASURED in experiment, the results

dependent on changer of independent

y

the relationship between the temperature of a water body and the concentration of dissolved oxygen present

a strong inverse relationship

environment

surroundings of physical, social, an cultural aspects that would effect us

the natural environment includes what two components

physical components and natural process

living components of envir.

biotic, organic, fossil fuels, phytoplankton

nonliving components of envir.

abiotic, inorganic, minerals, air

human - environmental interactions

two way relationship; envir. influence human activities (weather, natural disasters, resource availability)

humans affect envir. (degradation, damage)

natural hazards

processes that have a negative impact on the envir. human life, property

models

simplified representations of the real world

types of models

conceptual, pictorial, mathematical/statistical, computer generated

system

interacting and interdependent components working together as organized whole

subsystems

seprate systems that work within a larger system

insolation

incoming solar radiation, photosynthesis

input and output

matter and energy moving in/out system

open system

matter and energy flowing in and out systeme

closed system

earth; matter contained in system, neither losing or gaining anything