Geography 201: Introduction to the Physical Environment

Fall 2005
Instructor: Robert Mark Simpson                                    
Day and Times: MWF  10:00 - 10:50                                                            
Location: Johnson EPS Building, Room 227

"By what way is light diffused, or the east wind scattered over the earth?  Who has divided the channel for the overflowing water, or a path for the thunderbolt, to cause it to rain on a land where there is no one, a wilderness where there is no man to satisfy the desolate waste and cause to spring forth the growth of tender grass?"
 - Job 38:24-27.

Physical Geography is an introduction into the systems and processes that shape the planet earth and everything on its surface. Join the fun of exploring the questions asked centuries ago as we seek to unravel the mysteries of the environment of the planet we live on; how we are affected by it, and how we as humans can alter it as well.

Major Topics:

• Geographic Principles

• Portraying the  Earth

• Earth-Sun Relationships

• The Earth's Energy Budget and the Greenhouse Effect

• Ozone Depletion in the Stratosphere

• Atmospheric Pollution

• Weather Observation, Analysis and Forecasting

• Atmospheric Hazards

• Climates of the Earth

• The Earth's Water Resources

• The Earth's Ecological Systems 

• Plate Tectonics, Earthquakes and Vulcanism

• Weathering, Mass Wasting and Erosion

• Landforms of the Earth

• Soil Resources of the Earth

• Human Adaptations and Modifications 

Students may navigate to:

Blackboard for the syllabus, assignments, discussion boards and sample quizzes