Earth systems you can see from space—or from a hike
Physical geography studies land, air, water, ice, and life as a set of interacting systems. Your class will move between maps, diagrams, and a few equations (climate math, stream gradients) depending on level.
Plate tectonics (the unifying theory)
Rigid plates move on the asthenosphere; boundaries explain earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain chains. Divergent boundaries build new crust; convergent ones destroy or uplift; transform boundaries slide sideways. Hot spots help explain island chains away from plate edges.
Rocks and the rock cycle
Igneous rocks crystallize from melt; sedimentary rocks form from compacted layers; metamorphic rocks recrystallize under heat/pressure. Identify samples using texture and grain size when your lab provides them—practice is louder than flashcards here.
Weather vs. climate
Weather is short-term; climate is long-term pattern. Air pressure, humidity, lifting mechanisms, and Coriolis deflection shape storms and prevailing winds. Read station models if your meteorology mini-unit uses them.
Water on Earth
The hydrologic cycle ties evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, and runoff. Watersheds (drainage basins) connect land use upstream to flood risk downstream. Groundwater terms: aquifer, recharge, cone of depression—define with your course’s exact diagrams.
Landforms and processes
Rivers cut, carry, and deposit sediment; glaciers carve U-shaped valleys; coasts balance erosion and deposition. Link process → landform → human hazard (floodplains, landslides, coastal erosion) when prompts ask for “so what?”
Quick review checklist
Run this on paper the night before an assessment—short answers, no peeking.
- Vocabulary: Five terms, defined in your own words.
- One strong example: Problem, diagram, quote+context, or map label your rubric would accept.
- Classic trap: What mistake shows up on every test—and what rule stops it?
- Connection: One sentence linking this topic to another unit from the same course.