Physical Geography The Global Environment Text Book & Study Guide

by de Blij, Harm J.; Muller, Peter O.; Williams, Richard S.

• ISBN13: 9780195160222
• ISBN10: 0195160223
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-08-07
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Fully revised and presented in fifty-two short, easy-to-teach units, the third edition of Physical Geography: The Global Environment covers complex topics including long-distance weather linkages, biodiversity, and global change in a manner easily accessible to first- and second-year undergraduates. Set against a backdrop of human interaction with the environment, the text offers comprehensive treatments of Earth's five major components: the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the lithosphere, the cryosphere, and the biosphere. FEATURES OF THE THIRD EDITION · Unit Approach: Flexible, self-contained units make the material in the text easier for students to understand and instructors to navigate. · From the Field Notes: This thought-provoking collection of on-the-scene geographical photographs and writings is taken from the travels of Professor de Blij, who was the Geography Editor on ABC's Good Morning America for seven years and subsequently the Geography Analyst for NBC News . This compelling feature includes new photographs with expanded captions and accompanying locator maps that pinpoint each picture's global position. · Perspectives on the Human Environment: These revised boxed essays in each unit highlight humanity's relationships with the environment. · New and Improved Art Program: More than 90% of the photographs, 4-color maps, illustrations, and line art that appear throughout the text are new to this edition. · Systems Approach Part Openers: These stunning, full-page illustrations graphically display and interrelate each Earth system. · Web Resources: Included at the end of each unit, these links give students an interactive way to find out more about concepts discussed in the unit. NEW-STUDENT ANCILLARIES · Study Guide-packaged with each copy of the text -includes unit outlines, glossaries, activities for reinforcement, and review tests with answer keys Hazards Website: provides supplemental information about earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and other geological, meteorological and biological hazards. Access it at Natural Hazards http://www.oup-usa.org/naturalhazards. NEW-INSTRUCTOR ANCILLARIES · Instructor's Manual with Test Bank: contains unit summaries, lecture guides, lists of additional references, and a test bank with approximately 1500 multiple choice, short answer, and short essay questions · Instructor's CD-ROM: includes a computerized version of the test bank and PowerPointRB slides of all line art and selected photography from the text · Overhead Transparencies: 200 color acetates of selected line art from the text are available upon request

Table of Contents

Preface

A Global Perspective

Geography

Physical Geography

A Century of Physical Geography

Systems and Models in Physical Geography

Geographic Magnitude

Perspectives on the Human Environment: Sliding Scale

The Planet Earth

Spheres of the Earth System

Hemispheres

Continents and Oceans

Perspectives on the Human Environment: Human Population and Natural Processes

Mapping the Earth''s Surface

The Spherical Earth

Map Projections

Map Interpretation

Evolving Cartographic Technology

Perspectives on the Human Environment: Remote Sensing of the Environment

The Earth in the Universe

The Universe

The Solar System

Perspectives on the Human Environment: Collision!

Earth-Sun Relationships

Earth''s Planetary Motions

Seasonality

Insolation and Its Variation

Perspectives on the Human Environment: Measuring Time on Our Rotating Earth

Atmosphere and Hydrosphere

Composition and Structure of the Atmosphere

Contents of the Atmosphere

The Layered Structure of the Atmosphere

Research Frontiers

Perspectives on the Human Environment: Ozone Holes in the Stratosphere

Radiation and the Heat Balance of the Atmosphere

The Radiation Balance

The Heat Balance

Global Distribution of Heat Flows

Perspectives on the Human Environment: The Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming

Atmospheric and Surface Temperature

What is Temperature?

The Vertical Distribution of Temperature

The Horizontal Distribution of Temperature

Perspectives on the Human Environment: Urban Dust Domes and Heating Patterns

Air Pressure and Winds

Atmospheric Pressure

Air Movement in the Atmosphere

Large-and Smaller-Scale Wind Systems

Local Wind Systems

Perspectives on the Human Environment: Air Pressure and Wind in Our Daily Lives

Circulation Patterns of the Atmosphere

A Model of the Surface Circulation

The Actual Surface Circulation Pattern

Secondary Surface Circulation: Monsoonal Windflows

Circulation of the Upper Atmosphere

Perspectives on the Human Environment: The Sailor''s Legacy-Naming the Winds

Hydrosphere: Circulation of the World Ocean

Surface Currents

Generation of Ocean Currents

Flow Behavior of Ocean Currents

Deep-Sea Currents

The Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere System

El Nino-Southern Oscillation

Perspectives on the Human Environment: The North Atlantic Oscillation

Atmospheric Moisture and the Water Balance

Physical Properties of Water

Measuring Water Vapor

The Hydrologic Cycle

Evaporation

Condensation and Clouds

Precipitation

The Surface Water Balance

Perspectives on the Human Environment: Water Usage in the United States

Precipitation, Air Masses, and Fronts

Precipitation-Producing Processes

Convergent-Lifting Precipitation

Convectional Precipitation

Orographic Precipitation

Frontal (Cyclonic) Precipitation

Air Masses in the Atmosphere

Perspectives on the Human Environment: Tornadoes and Their Consequences

Weather Systems

Low-Latitude Weather Systems

Weather Systems of the Middle and Higher Latitudes

Energy and Moisture Within Weather Systems

Perspectives on the Human Environment: Honduras After Hurricane Mitch

Weather Tracking and Forecasting

Weather Data Acquisition

Mapping Weather Data

Weather Forecasting

Perspectives on the Human Environment: Weather Extremes

Climate Classification and Regionalization

Classifying Climates

The Koppen Climate Classification System

The Regional Distribution of Climate Types

Boundaries of Climate Regions

Perspectives on the Human Environment: Climate in Daily Human Terms

Tropical (A) and Arid (B) Climates

The Major Tropical (A) Climates

The Major Arid (B) Climates Perspectives on the Human Environment: Deforestation of the Tropics

Perspectives on the Human

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