Geography:

In the words of Peter Haggett, “Geography is the study of the earth’s

surface as the space within which the human population lives.

(Haggett, 1981)

Geography studies the spatial distributions of all human and physical

phenomena spread out on the earth’s surface. But these phenomena are

ever changing, either by the nature or by the part that human plays in

modifying the face of the earth’s surface. That’s why, all the earthly

phenomena described in Geography, are correlated with both space and

time.

As a result, Geography can be defined as the study of spatial organization

of all the earthly phenomena, focused on the interrelationship between

man and environment, in context of time. (Murphy, 1961)

Geography is the result of human curiosity to understand the

nature of their home, the earth, and when this understanding is

articulated in words or as maps, it constitutes Geography.

(Sauer, 1956)

A geographer studies the earth and its land features, and its

inhabitants. He also examines social phenomena such as political or

cultural structures. The study of geographic characteristics can be

done by various scales, from local to global. While studying any

phenomenon, Geography tend to look for answers to five questions:

What? Where? When? How? Why? , and seeks to acquire complete

knowledge of the areal differentiate of the world, considering actual

sections of reality, not particular kinds of objects and phenomena.

To conclude, it can simply be said that Geography is the spatial and

temporal study of the earth.

The vast discipline of geography is divided into two major branches: 1) physical
geography and 2) cultural or human geography.

Physical Geography: Definition

Physical geography consists of many diverse elements. These include: the study of
the earth's interaction with the sun, seasons, the composition of the atmosphere,
atmospheric pressure and wind, storms and climatic disturbances, climate zones,
microclimates, the hydrologic cycle, soils, rivers and streams, flora and fauna,
weathering, erosion, natural hazards, deserts, glaciers and ice sheets, coastal
terrain, ecosystems, geologic systems, and so much more.

Physical geography is considered the accumulation of different branches of earth

science. For example Climatology, Oceanography, Botany, etc. Thus, it includes
consideration of surface relief of the globe. Different geographers have defined it in
different ways.

According to Tarr and Von Engeleh, ‘Physical geography is the study of physical
features of the earth and their influence on men.’

In the words of Lobeck, ‘The study of the physical environment along contributes

physiographic.’
According to Strahler, ‘Physical geography is the study of unification of a number of
earth sciences.’

Thus, it will include the study of all physical elements and factors which provide
suitable habitats for the living organisms of the biosphere.

Physical geography also studies the spatial pattern and spatial relationship of
environmental components of the globe in the original context. It also studies the
causes of original patterns of such spatial relationships.

Nature of Physical Geography: Physical Geography is the integrated study of the

physical environment on close to the earth’s surface. Physical environment does
not remain static. Because physical environment is complex and factors vary from
place to place, they have changed through time, for e.g. Land forms, climate, plants
and animals etc. So it is an ever changing process. The pattern of of natural features
in different parts of the earth is continuously changing.

Key Takeaways: Physical Geography

• Physical geography is the study of our planet and its systems (ecosystems,
climate, atmosphere, hydrology).
• Understanding the climate and how it's changing (and the potential results
of those changes) affect people now and can help plan for the future.
• Because the study of Earth is vast, numerous sub-branches of physical
geography specialize in different areas, from the upper limits of the sky to
the bottom of the ocean.
In contrast, cultural or human geography spends time studying why people locate
where they do (including demographics) and how they adapt to and change the
landscape in which they live. Someone studying cultural geography might also
research how languages, religion, and other aspects of culture develop where
people live; how those aspects are transmitted to others as people move; or how
cultures change because of where they move.

Physical geography encompasses the geographic tradition known as the Earth

sciences tradition. Physical geographers look at the landscapes, surface processes,
and climate of the earth—all of the activity found in the four spheres (the
atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere) of our planet.

Subject Matter of Physical Geography: All these above definitions, it may be

pointed out that presently physical geography is not only the agglomeration and

unification of earth sciences, but it also studies the patterns of interactions

between human activities and physical environment. Everything in Earth's system
can be placed into one of four major subsystems: land, water, living things, or air.
These four subsystems are called "spheres."

Specifically, they are the

1)lithosphere" (land)

2)"hydrosphere" (water)

3) "biosphere" (living things), and

4)"atmosphere"( air).

Each of these four spheres can be further divided into sub-spheres.

Environmentalists use this system to classify and study the organic and inorganic
materials found in the Earth. Although the four systems have their individual
identities, there is important interaction between them. For example, the soil may
contain minerals from the lithosphere, moisture within the soil from hydrosphere,
insects and plants from the biosphere inhabiting the soil

and pockets of air present between the soil pieces. The spheres of earth are closely
connected to each other. A change in one sphere results in change in two or more
spheres. Earth’s surface is the focus point of the study of physical geography.
Knowledge of physical geography is essential for the study of any branch of
geography – not only from the physical environment point of view, but also every
human activity and all components of the earth do not remain untouched by
physical geography. Air, water and land, all the three parts of physical elements are
included and all these three are related to each other. The main attribute of the
physical environment is change. Therefore, with the knowledge of the distribution
of physical circumstances, the study of variability is also included in physical
geography. By the interplay of this variability, different physical conditions arise.

The study of the phenomena active in these spheres and responsible factors for
them is included in the main subject matter of physical geography. Interactive
relationship is found in all these components of physical geography. Interaction of
components of physical geography.
The format of these components is briefly described as follows:
1. Lithosphere: All site segments and their various forms located on the earth’s
surface are mainly studied under the lithosphere. Structural studies are done in
the form of morphology on the lithosphere.
The lithosphere is the solid, outer part of the Earth. The lithosphere includes the
brittle upper portion of the mantle and the
crust, the outermost layers of Earth’s
structure. It is bounded by the atmosphere
above and the asthenosphere (another part
of the upper mantle) below. Although the
rocks of the lithosphere are still considered
elastic, they are not viscous. There are two
types of lithosphere: oceanic lithosphere and
continental lithosphere. Oceanic lithosphere
is associated with oceanic crust, and is
slightly denser than continental lithosphere.
2. Atmosphere: The gaseous converting spread around us is called atmosphere. It
involves studying a variety of seasonal and climate – related conditions. Special
study of atmospheric conditions is the subject matter of the atmosphere.
 Atmosphere is the gas and aerosol envelope that extends from the
ocean, land, and ice-covered surface of a
planet outward into space. Earth’s
atmosphere stretches from the surface of the
planet up to as far as 10,000 kilometers
(6,214 miles) above. After that, the
atmosphere blends into space. While oxygen
is necessary for most life on Earth, the
majority of Earth’s atmosphere is not oxygen.
Earth’s atmosphere is composed of about 78
percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, 0.9
percent argon, and 0.1 percent other gases.
Trace amounts of carbon dioxide, methane,
water vapor, and neon are some of the other gases that make up the
remaining 0.1 percent. The atmosphere is divided into five different
layers, based on temperature_

troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere , exosphere.

3. Hydrosphere: The events and their causes related to the huge water extent
found on approximately 71% of the earth’s surface are logically analyzed in the
hydrosphere. Studies on the changes in sea and ocean water have been
included under hydrosphere.
A hydrosphere is the total amount of water on a planet.
 The hydrosphere includes water that is on the surface of the planet,
underground, and in the air. A planet's
hydrosphere can be liquid, vapor, or ice. On
Earth, liquid water exists on the surface in the
form of oceans, lakes and rivers. It also exists
below ground—as groundwater, in wells and
aquifers. Water vapor is most visible as clouds
and fog. The frozen part
of Earth's hydrosphere is made of ice: glaciers,
ice caps and icebergs. The frozen part of the
hydrosphere has its own name, the
cryosphere.

Water moves through the hydrosphere in a cycle. Water collects in

clouds, then falls to Earth in the form of rain or snow. This water
collects in rivers, lakes and oceans. Then it evaporates into the
atmosphere to start the cycle all over again. This is called water cycle.

4. Biosphere: All the facts related to the living organisms living on the land, the air
and the water and all the facts related to them are studied in the biosphere. It
studies about the conditions of the biological world. The scope and content of
physical geography is depicted through the following illustration: It is clear from
the above picture that the scope and subject matter of physical geography is
very comprehensive. This reflects the comprehensive and composite nature of
this subject.

The biosphere is made up of the parts of Earth where life exists. The biosphere
extends from the deepest root systems of trees to the dark environment of ocean
trenches, to lush rain forests and high mountaintops. Since life exists on the
ground, in the air, and in the water, the biosphere overlaps all these spheres.
Although the biosphere measures about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from top to
bottom, almost all life exists between about 500 meters (1,640 feet) below the
ocean’s surface to about 6 kilometers (3.75 miles) above sea level. The biosphere
is sometimes thought of as one large ecosystem—a complex community of living
and nonliving things functioning as a single unit. More often, however, the
biosphere is described as having many ecosystems.

Why Physical Geography Is Important

Knowing about the physical geography of Earth is important for every serious
student studying the planet because the natural processes of Earth affect the
distribution of resources (from carbon dioxide in the air to freshwater on the
surface to minerals deep underground) and the conditions of the human
settlement. Anyone studying processes involving Earth and its processes is working
within the confines of its physical geography. These natural processes have
resulted in a plethora of varied effects on human populations throughout the
millennia.

Importance of Physical Geography: Modern physical geography is of much

value and significance. The value of modern physical geography is as follows:
 1. Physical geography not only deals with the important components of
physical or natural environment, but also deals with the interconnections
between the various components of natural environment.
2. Physical geography deals with the important components of the natural or
physical environment. The natural environment and its spatial changes can
be understood from a study of physical geography.
3. The study of physical geography is essential to understand the natural
environment of the earth, evolved by natural process through millions of
years. The natural environment varies from one place to another.
4. An understanding of the agents, processes and elements of physical
environment, enable us to evaluate the varied nature of human life.
5. Physical geography also provides information as to how man is able to
adjust himself to his environment.
6. Modern physical geography tries to interpret the natural or physical
environment as a
dynamic activity.