GEOG 101-07 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

Spring 2012

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Guy King, Butte 517, 898-4858, Email: use Blackboard Learn class email.

Office Hours: Monday 9-10 AM, 11 AM -12 Noon, and Wednesday 9-10 AM, 11 AM-1 PM.

LECTURE: Monday and Wednesday 8-8:50 AM, Butte 503.

LABORATORY: Wednesday 9-10:50 AM, Butte 503.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Physical geography is a survey of the basic processes that determine energy flows through the atmosphere, and examines the subsequent matter interactions among water, rock, soil, vegetation, and landforms that create and modify the Earth’s surface. The learning objective of this course is to understand the fundamentals of matter and energy through recognition of landscape patterns, and the physical, chemical and biological principles and functions that create those patterns. Put another way, the course objective is to understand the natural environment, and the role of humans affected by and affecting that environment.

Physical geography integrates information from other fields such as geology, biology, physics, and chemistry to present a pattern and process paradigm to understanding natural landscapes. The following are the specific course goals:

·  Use and think about maps and spatial data of physical environmental phenomena.

·  Understand and interpret the implications of associations among physical phenomena in places.

·  Recognize and interpret at different scales the relationships among physical patterns and processes.

·  Become familiarized with the tools used to view, interpret processes, and recognize change occurring in our physical geographic environment.

·  Develop an understanding of earth’s physical landforms, and the processes controlling variations in weather and climate, soils, and plant communities around the world.

·  Provide a foundation upon which to build a better understanding of the human interrelationships with the physical environment.

This is an approved General Education course for Physical Science credit.

REQUIREMENTS: Students are responsible for all class materials and should be prepared for lectures by reading the assigned textbook chapters before class. Effective writing, critical reading, thinking, and a broad familiarity with physical processes operating locally, globally and universally are important learning goals of this course. Attendance is expected at every class and laboratory meeting.

All GEOG 101 quizzes and exams are completed through the use of Blackboard Learn software. Students are advised to start and complete assessments early. Computer problems are normal. Make sure you have alternate access to the Internet (a second computer, public library, etc.). Students are responsible for turning in all course assignments on time.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:

Robert Christopherson (2008). Geosystems. 7th Edition, Prentice Hall, NJ

(ISBN 9780136005988)

Rand McNally (2009) Goode’s World Atlas. 22nd Edition, Prentice Hall, NJ

(ISBN 9780321652003)

GRADING: They are determined by scores on the three lecture examinations, the lecture final examination, 14 reading quizzes, and laboratory work as follows:

Exam 1 50 points

Exam 2 50 points

Exam 3 50 points

Final Examination 100 points

Reading Quizzes (14 total, 10 pts each) 140 points

Lab 220 points

Total 600 points (10 points not counted)

GRADE CURVE:

A 93-100%
A- 90-92.99%
B+ 87-89.99%
B 83-86.99%
B- 80-82.99%
C+ 77-79.99%,
C 73-76.99%
C- 70-72.99%
D+ 65-69.99%
D 60-64.99%
F <60%

Statement on Academic Honesty: Students are required to do their own work. Using work done by other students is cheating which is a violation of CSU-Chico University Policy. For more information on academic honesty, see the Student Judicial Affairs section of the University Catalog.

Disability Support Services: If you have a documented disability that may require accommodations, contact the Accessibility Resource Center (ARC).

MW - LECTURE SCHEDULE
Dates / Lecture topics / Text
chapters
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec / 27
29
5
10
12
17
19
24
26
1
3
8
10
15
17
22
24
29
31
5
7
14
19-23
26
28
3
5
10
12
17-21 / Introduction to class
Physical geography, the scientific method, energy/matter
Geographic grid: latitude, longitude, time, geospatial data
Earth-Sun relationships, latitudinal effects, seasons
Atmosphere, energy balance and budgets, solar radiation
Planetary and local temperature patterns
Atmospheric pressure, wind systems, ocean currents
Water on Earth, humidity, adiabatic processes, clouds/fog
Exam 1
Air masses and fronts, lifting mechanisms
Storm systems
Hydrological cycle, water resources
Global climate systems and classification
Climate change
Exam 2
Internal earth energy – radioactive decay, earth materials
Rock cycle, plate tectonics
Tectonic processes in the Earth’s crust, earthquakes, volcanoes
Weathering processes, mass movement, Karst
Fluvial processes, watersheds, stream erosion,
Streamflow, floods
Landforms created by wind
Fall Break
Ocean energy, coastal processes and landforms
Exam 3
Glacial processes and landforms
Soils
The biosphere: ecosystem processes and patterns
Biomes, organism distribution and patterns
Comprehensive Final Exam (online) / 1
1
2
3,4
5
6
7
8
8
9
10
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20