World Geography

1
World Geography

• Geography is defined as the science dealing with
  differentiation of the earths surface
• Geography is broken into several areas physical
  and cultural geography
• Physical Geography deals with rocks, landforms,
  soil, flora, fauna, climate, water, and minerals

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Cultural Geography

• Cultural Elements
• -Population and settlement
• -Economic Activities
• -Transportation
• -Languages and Religions
• -Political Systems
• -Recreational Activities
• -Traditions etc.

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Physical Geography

• Divided into four spheres
• 1.) Lithosphere broad view of structure of the
  Earth, position in space, and the earths make
  up.
• 2.) Atmosphere mixture of gaseous materials
  which envelope and help sustain life.
• 3.) Biosphere Includes all living organisms and
  all the places on earth where they exist.
• 4.) Hydrosphere Water in all its forms

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Scientific Origins of the Universe

• Big Bang a theory of the origin of the universe
• Two theories of what has happened since
• 1.) Forever Expanding Cosmology The universe is
  still growing
• 2.) Oscillating Universe Cosmology As the
  universe expands it also decreases were it will
  eventually collapse on itself

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Origin of Our Solar System

• Dust Cloud Hypothesis
• -formation began more than 5 billion years ago,
  Earth is between 4.7 and 4.8. Billion years old
• -A gigantic cloud formed a proto-sun which had a
  huge gravitational attraction
• -Heavier elements sank inward to form the Sun and
  the inner planets

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Our Solar System-Terrestrial Planets

• First Four Planets
• Mercury
• Venus
• Earth
• Mars
• -Molten Characteristics
• -Elements iron, aluminum, silicone, nickel

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Our Solar System-Jovian Planets

• The Last five planets
• Jupiter
• Saturn
• Uranus
• Neptune
• Pluto
• -Gaseous characteristics
• -Elements Hydrogen and Helium

8
The Earth

• 93 million miles from the Sun
• Found in the Milky Way Galaxy
• Diameter is 7,927 miles across
• Earth is an oblate sphere
• Closest stars
• -Proxima Centauri 4.1 light years away
• -Alpha Centauri 4.3 light years away

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Mapping the Earth

• The Earth is an oblate sphere
• The poles flatten and the equator bulges due to
  speed
• Different types of maps-best is a globe but not
  always practical
• The Geographic Grid System

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The Geographic Grid System

• Four reference points North Pole, South Pole,
  Prime Meridian (Greenwich, UK), Equator
• Two sets of lines Latitude and longitude
• Parallels of Latitude and Meridians of Longitudes

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The Geographic Grid System

• Parallels of Latitude

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Lines of Latitude

• Parallel to the equator
• Equidistant, run East West but measure North and
  South
• Diameter gets smaller as you travel from the
  equator
• The equator is the only Great Circle
• Measured in degrees, minutes and seconds
• 1 degree69 miles 11.15 miles
• 1101 ft.

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The Geographic Grid System

• Meridians of Longitude

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Meridians of Longitude

• Meridians of Longitude
• Great circle, same length and diameter
• Meridians cross parallels at right angles
• Run North and South but measure east west