Physical geography

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Physical geography (also known as geosystems or physiography) is one of the two major fields of geography. Physical geography is the branch of natural science which deals with the study of processes and patterns in the natural environment such as the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and geosphere, as opposed to the cultural or built environment, the domain of human geography.

Introduction[edit | edit source]

Physical Geography is the study of our home planet and all of its components: its lands, waters, atmosphere, and the processes that influence them. Physical geography involves a range of topics that include climate, soil, vegetation, and the changes in the landscape and global warming.

Branches of Physical Geography[edit | edit source]

Physical geography can be divided into several branches or related fields, including:

  • Geomorphology: The study of the form of the Earth's landforms and the processes that have shaped them.
  • Climatology: The study of the Earth's climate and the distribution of temperatures and precipitation.
  • Hydrology: The study of the Earth's water, including its distribution, movement, and properties.
  • Biogeography: The study of the distribution of species and ecosystems in geographic space and through geological time.
  • Pedology: The study of soils in their natural environment.
  • Glaciology: The study of ice and its effects on the landscape, including the study of glaciers and ice sheets.
  • Coastal geography: The study of the dynamic interface between the ocean and the land, including both the physical geography and the human geography of the coast.

See Also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]


Physical geography Resources
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD