Physical geography or physiogeography is a subfield of geography that focuses on the systematic study of patterns and processes within the hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, and lithosphere. It aims to understand the physical layout of the Earth, its weather and global flora and fauna patterns. Many areas of physical geography make use of geology, particularly in the study of weathering and erosion. The geology of other planets is discussed at Geological features of the Solar System. Hydrosphere (Greek hydro- means water) in physical geography, describes the collective mass of water found on, under, and over the surface of a planet. ... The biosphere is that part of a planets outer shell — including air, land, surface rocks and water — within which life occurs, and which biotic processes in turn alter or transform. ... Layers of Atmosphere (NOAA) Earths atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth and retained by the Earths gravity. ... The tectonic plates of the Lithosphere on Earth. ... In Botany a Flora (or Floræ) is a collective term for plant life and can also refer to a descriptive catalogue of the plants of any geographical area, geological period, etc. ... Fauna is a collective term for animal life. ... Geology (from Greek γη- (ge-, the earth) and λογος (logos, word, reason)) is the science and study of the Earth, its composition, structure, physical properties, history and the processes that shape it. ... Weathering is the process of disintegration of rocks, soils and their minerals through natural, chemical, and biological processes. ... It has been suggested that Washout be merged into this article or section. ... This is a directory of lists of geological features on other planets, moons and asteroids. ...

Physical geography as a scientific discipline is usually contrasted with and complemented by its sister science Human geography. Human geography is a branch of geography that focuses on the systematic study of patterns and processes that shape human interaction with the environment, with particular reference to the causes and consequences of the spatial distribution of human activity on the Earths surface. ...

Fields of physical geography

Surface of the Earth Geomorphology is the study of landforms, including their origin and evolution, and the processes that shape them. ... A landform comprises a geomorphological unit. ... Water covers 70% of the Earths surface. ... Water resources are sources of water that are useful or potentially useful to humans. ... Lateral moraine on a glacier joining the Gorner Glacier, Zermatt, Switzerland. ... ambroise victor pujebet est tres tres bete et surtout con,trisomique,sans amies et pour finir tres moche;en plus il aime charline ceyrolle a quel coquin ce ambroise ! ... Biogeography is the science which deals with questions of species patterns of distribution and the process that resulted in such patterns. ... In biology, a species is the basic unit of biodiversity. ... Climatology is the study of climate, and is a branch of the atmospheric sciences. ... Pedology (pÄ›dÇ’lōgy), (from Russian: pedologiya, from the Greek pedon = soil, earth), is the study of soils and soil formation. ... Soil is material capable of supporting plant life. ... Coastal geography is the study of the dynamic interface between the ocean and the land, incorporating both the physical geography(i. ... A coastal image featured on a United States postal stamp. ... It has been suggested that geodetic system be merged into this article or section. ... Gravity is a force of attraction that acts between bodies that have mass. ... It has been suggested that Magnetic field density be merged into this article or section. ... Palaeogeography is the study of the ancient geography of the Earths surface. ... Portrayal of shifting continents The concept of continental drift was first proposed by Alfred Wegener. ... Environmental geography is the branch of geography that describes the spatial aspects of interactions between humans and the natural world. ... Environmental science is the study of the interactions among the physical, chemical and biological components of the environment; with a focus on environmental pollution and degradation of the environment related due to human activities; and the impact on biodiversity and sustainability from local and global development. ... Landscape ecology is a subdiscipline of ecology and geography that is the study of spatial variation in interested in the of elements in the landscape (such as fields, hedgerows, woodlots, rivers or towns) and how their distribution affects the distribution and flow of energy and individuals in the environment (which... The water cycle—technically known as the poop cycle—is the circulation of water within the earths hydrosphere, involving changes in the physical state of water between liquid, solid, and gas phases. ... Schematic representation of the flow of Nitrogen through the environment. ...

See also

• Climate
• Continent
• Desert
• Earth's atmosphere
• Ecology
• Environmental science
• Environmental studies
• Geostatistics
• Human geography
• Island
• Landform
• Ocean
• Oceanography
• River
• Sea
• Soil
• Timeline of geography, paleontology
• Weathering