Chapter 1: Introduction

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Chapter 1 Introduction
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Objectives

• To introduce and learn fundamentals concepts
  about the earth

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Outline

• Geography as a Field of Learning
• Our Focus
• Environmental Spheres
• The Solar System
• The Size and Shape of the Earth
• The Geographic Grid
• Earth Movements
• Annual March of Seasons
• Telling Time
• Focus Studies

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1. Geography as a field of Learning

• Five themes of Geography are
• Location
• Place
• Human-environment interactions
• Movement
• Regions
• Two main Branches
• Physical
• Soil, rocks, landorms, flora, fauna, climate
  water, minerals
• Cultural
• Population, culture, economy, language, religion
  traditions, political systems

• Description of Earth
• Greek word earth description
• Geographic Inquiry
• Why is what where
• So what
• Focus on surface
• 2000 years ago geography was only the subject

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2. Our Focus

• Physical ements
• Nature, characteristics and processes
• Environment and development relationship e.g.
  Human interactions

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3. Environmental Spheres

• Lithosphere
• Hydrosphere
• Atmosphere
• Biosphere

These are good organizing concepts for systems
approach
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3. The solar System

• Earth part of nine planets
• Milky Way Galaxy is a part of billions of
  galaxies
• Sun is one of the 10 10 11 Stars
• We will see the animation of formation of the
  solar system

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Animation

• Formed from NEBULA
• Diffused gas dust contract inwards
• Flattens into Nebular disc as it revolves
• Particles in outer part collide to form
  protoplanet
• Protoplanets develop into planets in orbit
• Earth is the 3rd farthest from sun
• Sun is the central to our solar system
• Distance in the Solar System is measured in light
  year
• MY VERY EDUCATED MOTHER JUST SHOWED US NINE
  PLANETS can be abbreviated to know the distance
  of planets from the sun.

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4. Size and shape of the Earth

• Oblate but regarded as sphere for most purposes
• Has topographic irregularities
• Bulges in the midriff
• It is 7,900 miles North South and 7927 miles East
  west
• Highest point Mount Everest, lowest Mariana
  trench difference 12.28 miles

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5. The Geographic Grid

• Network of intersecting lines called graticules
• Four features provide reference points
• North pole, south pole, rotational axis and
  equatorial plane
• Equator imaginary plane
• Great circle divides into 2 hemispheres
• Small circle without passing through equator
• Latitude North to South 90N 90 S total 180
• Longitude East to west 180E to 180 W total 360
• Measured in degree minutes and seconds

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6. Earth Movements

• Daily rotation
• Annual rotation
• Perihelion
• Aphelion

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7. Annual March of Season

• Plane of the ecliptic
• Inclination
• Polarity
• Insolation
• Solstices
• Equinoxes
• Change of daylight and darkness

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8. Telling time

• Standard time
• The International Date Line
• Daylight Saving Time

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9. Focus Studies

• The Moon
• Numbers and Measurements
• The Analemma