Geography Essentials Lecture 1

Geography is the study of the Earth's surface, including its physical features, human populations, and the interactions between them.

Spatial refers to the arrangement and distribution of things across the Earth's surface. In geography, it's how things are positioned, how far apart they are, and how they relate to each other.

Earth science is a broad field that studies the Earth's physical systems, including its atmosphere, oceans, landforms, rocks, and minerals.

The Scientific Method is a systematic approach to understanding the world around us. It involves making observations, forming hypotheses, testing those hypotheses, and drawing conclusions based on the evidence.

Human Activities and Population Growth are major factors shaping the Earth's surface. Changes in how people live, work, and consume resources create geographic patterns and impact the environment.

Systems Analysis is a way of looking at the Earth's interconnected parts. It helps us understand how different components (like oceans, mountains, and humans) interact and influence each other.

An Open System allows for energy and matter to flow in and out of it. The Earth is an open system, receiving energy from the sun and releasing some back into space.

A Closed System doesn't allow for matter to enter or leave, but energy can still flow. Earth as a whole (including its atmosphere) is a pretty good approximation of a closed system in terms of matter.

The non-living parts of the Earth's system, including the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere.

The living part of the Earth's system encompassing all life forms.

A process where outputs of a system influence its operation through a pathway.

A feedback loop where the output discourages further response, leading to stability.

A feedback loop where the output encourages further response, leading to a runaway effect.

A state where the system's inputs and outputs are balanced, resulting in constant or fluctuating average values.

A state where the system's inputs and outputs are changing over time, leading to a new operating level.

The point at which a system shifts from one stable state to another.

The spatial aspect deals with how things are distributed and arranged in space, including their measurements and the relationships between them.

The five themes of geography are: Location, Place, Region, Movement, and Human-Earth Relationships. They provide a framework for understanding the complexities of our world.

Basic science focuses on fundamental knowledge and understanding, while applied science applies that knowledge to solve practical problems and develop new technologies.

A system is a group of interconnected elements that interact with each other and exchange energy and matter. Open systems allow these exchanges, while closed systems are isolated.

The Earth system is an open system regarding energy, meaning it receives energy from the sun and releases some back into space. However, it is a closed system in terms of physical matter and resources; these remain within the system.

The Earth system's concept acknowledges that all elements of Earth, including living organisms, oceans, atmosphere, and land, are connected and influence each other.

Latitude is the angular distance north or south of the equator, measured from the center of Earth. It is often expressed in degrees, minutes, and seconds (DMS) or decimal degrees.

A parallel is a circle on Earth's surface that connects all points at the same latitudinal angle. They run east to west, parallel to the equator.

Longitude is the angular distance east or west of a point on Earth's surface, measured from the center of Earth. It is also expressed in degrees, minutes, and seconds (DMS) or decimal degrees.

A meridian is a semicircle that connects all points at the same longitudinal angle. They run from the North Pole to the South Pole, perpendicular to the equator.

The International Date Line is approximately along the 180th meridian. This line dictates the time zone changes.

A great circle is any circle of Earth's circumference whose center coincides with the center of Earth. The equator is the only great circle parallel.

Small circles are any circles of Earth's circumference whose center does not coincide with the center of Earth. These circles are smaller than the equator and get progressively smaller as they get closer to the poles.

Latitude and longitude coordinates provide a precise location for any place on Earth, DMS (Degrees, Minutes, Seconds) or Decimal Degrees.

The Earth rotates 360 degrees in 24 hours, meaning it rotates 15 degrees per hour. Each time zone covers 15 degrees of longitude, resulting in 24 time zones across the globe.

A map scale indicates the ratio between distances on a map and the corresponding distances on the Earth's surface. Different map scales are used to represent different areas, with larger maps showing more detail.

A graphic scale is a visual representation of the map scale, typically a line divided into segments that represent real-world distances. It's helpful because it remains accurate even if the map is enlarged or reduced.

When converting the Earth's three-dimensional surface into a two-dimensional map, distortion is unavoidable. This is because it's like trying to flatten an orange peel - some parts will be stretched and others compressed.

The Mercator projection is a map projection that preserves angles and shapes, making it ideal for navigation. However, it distorts areas near the poles, making them appear much larger than they actually are.

Remote sensing involves observing Earth from a distance, typically using satellites or aircraft, to collect data about its surface. This data can be used to monitor environmental changes, track deforestation, and map agricultural land use.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are computer-based systems that analyze, manage, and visualize geographic data. GIS allows geographers to combine and study different layers of data, such as population density, elevation, and land cover, to understand spatial relationships and patterns.

Composite overlay is a technique where multiple layers of data are combined in GIS to create a comprehensive view of a particular area. By combining layers like land cover, population density, and infrastructure, you can gain insights into the characteristics of the area.