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GEOG. 1710 EARTH SCIENCE INTRODUCTION
Earth science is part of GEOGRAPHY (“physical geography”).
WHY? Because it is a field of science that emphasizes SPATIAL
ANALYSIS of physical features and physical processes (where
are features located? How do features move from place to place; do
features and/or processes have specific geographic patterns?).
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Example 1: A botanist studies plants and
plant biology, whereas a physical
geographer studies the DISTRIBUTION
of plants and processes that
change those distributions
(man-made changes/migration/invasion
to new areas).
Distribution of coastal
marsh plants: Marco Island
California, 1962.
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Example 2: Business is concerned with buying/selling, whereas a
marketing geographer studies the geographic patterns of business
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ORGANIZATION OF EARTH SCIENCE (and GEOG.
1710). Earth Science is traditionally subdivided into the
study of the four principle components of the physical
environment: the ATMOSPHERE,
HYDROSPHERE,
LITHOSPHERE and BIOSPHERE.
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These four spheres are considerably
interconnected; for example, the
soil, which is mainly part of the
lithosphere (rock fragments), also
contains water, dead and living
organic material and air.
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DATE:
TOPICS
July
11
12
13
14
Introduction/Science
Latitude and longitude, topographic maps/GIS
Earth-Sun relationships, seasons.
Introduction to the atmosphere.
18
19
20
21
Solar energy and temperature.
EXAM 1
Atmospheric pressure and wind.
Atmospheric moisture and precipitation.
25
Air masses, fronts and storms.
26
Climatic regions.
27
EXAM 2
28
Minerals and rocks.
August
1
Plate tectonics, diastrophism.
2
Weathering and mass wasting.
3
Soils/Natural Regions of DFW
4 EXAM 3
8
9
10
11
12
Location, maps
Weather, climate
Geology, landforms
Streams and rivers.
Deserts.
Coasts.
Chapter 16
Case studies in applied earth science
FINAL EXAM
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Location on
the Earth
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Topographic maps
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Energy from the Sun; temperature
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Air pressure, wind, moisture, precipitation, weather, climate.
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Rocks, minerals, tectonics, diastrophism, weathering, mass wasting,
soils
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Rivers, fluvial processes
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Deserts, eolian processes
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Coasts, coastal processes
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