1. Chapter 1 The Earth as a Rotating Planet Visualizing Physical Geography Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers Inc. Visualizing Physical Geography by Alan Strahler and Zeeya Merali

3. Visualizing Physical Geography Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers Inc. The Shape of the Earth The Earth is round

7. Visualizing Physical Geography Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers Inc. The Geographic Grid Parallels and Meridians Geographic grid : network of parallels and meridians used to fix location on the Earth Parallel : east-west circle on the Earth’s surface, lying on a plane parallel to the equator Meridian : north-south line on the Earth’s surface, connecting the poles

9. Visualizing Physical Geography Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers Inc.

10. Visualizing Physical Geography Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers Inc. The Geographic Grid Latitude and Longitude Latitude is measured north and south of the equator, up to 90 º Longitude is measured east and west of the Prime Meridian—meridian that passes through Greenwich, England — up to 180 º

11. Visualizing Physical Geography Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers Inc.

12. Visualizing Physical Geography Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers Inc.

13. Visualizing Physical Geography Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers Inc.

14. Visualizing Physical Geography Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers Inc.

15. Visualizing Physical Geography Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers Inc.

16. Visualizing Physical Geography Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers Inc. Map Projections Many types of maps, for many different purposes

17. Visualizing Physical Geography Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers Inc. Map Projections Map Scale Scale fraction: a ratio that tells how to convert distance on the map to true distance on the Earth 1:50,000 1 unit of map distance=50,000 units of distance on the Earth

22. Visualizing Physical Geography Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers Inc. Global Time Standard Time : time system based on the local time of a standard meridian and applied to belts of longitude extending roughly 7 ½ º on either side of the meridian Time zones: zones or belts within which standard time is applied

23. Visualizing Physical Geography Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers Inc. Global Time World Time Zones

25. Visualizing Physical Geography Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers Inc. Global Time Daylight Saving Time: clocks set ahead one hour Not observed in all locations

29. Visualizing Physical Geography Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers Inc. Earth’s Revolution Around the Sun The Four Seasons Summer solstice : solstice occurring on June 21 or 22, when the subsolar point is at 23 1/2 ° N; June Solstice Winter solstice : solstice occurring on December 21 or 22, when the subsolar point is at 23 1/2 ° S; December Solstice Equinox : time when subsolar point falls on equator and circle of illumination passes through both poles Circle of illumination : separates day hemisphere from night hemisphere