Maricopa Community Colleges  GPH111   19956-99999

Official Course Description: MCCCD Approval: 3-28-1995

GPH111  2000 Fall - 9999

LEC
LAB

4 Credit(s)
0 Credit(s)

3 Period(s)
3 Period(s)

Introduction to Physical Geography

Spatial and functional relationships among climates, landforms, soils, water, and plants.

Prerequisites: None.

 

Course Attribute(s):

General Education Designation: Natural Sciences (Quantitative) - [SQ]

Go to Competencies    Go to Outline
 

MCCCD Official Course Competencies:

 

GPH111  2000 Fall - 9999

Introduction to Physical Geography

 

1.

Use the metric system. (I)

2.

Describe the face and form of the earth and its place in the solar system. (II - IV)

3.

Locate places on the earth using the geographic grid system and the United States Land Survey grid. (V)

4.

Read topographic maps using map symbols. (VI)

5.

Explain the relationship between the earth and sun in regard to the length of days, seasons, time, and solar energy. (VII)

6.

Make time zone calculations. (VII)

7.

Identify basic landform types, and explain the basic geologic theory behind the development of landforms. (VIII)

8.

Describe the classification of minerals and rocks, and identify common rocks. (VIII)

9.

Describe geologic hazards such as floodplains, mass wasting zones, volcanic areas, etc. (VIII)

10.

Describe the basic weather elements. (IX)

11.

List the basic weather controls, and appraise the effects of these controls on the weather elements. (IX)

12.

Display on a map the geographic pattern of temperature, pressure, wind, precipitation, and storms. (IX)

13.

Describe major storm types. (IX)

14.

Explain the climatic controls. (X)

15.

Describe the classification of world climates. (X)

16.

Display the world climate pattern on a world map. (X)

17.

Display the world vegetation pattern on a world map, and describe the relationship between climate and vegetation. (X)

18.

Describe soil problems and the relationship between climate and soils. (X)

Go to Description    Go to top of Competencies
 

MCCCD Official Course Outline:

 

GPH111  2000 Fall - 9999

Introduction to Physical Geography

 

I. Metric System

II. Place of the Earth in the Solar System

III. Face of the Earth

A. Smooth/relief

B. Land masses

C. Parts unusable

IV. Form of the Earth

A. Shape and dimensions

B. Interior

V. Location of Points on the Earth

A. Spherical coordinates: geographic grid

B. Plane coordinates

C. Metes and bounds

D. Unites States Land Survey

VI. Maps

A. Projections

1. Properties

2. Classification

3. Problems

B. Topographic maps

1. Symbols

2. Contours

3. How to read and use

VII. The Earth/Sun Relationship

A. Rotation

B. Revolution

C. Inclination of the earth's axis

D. Length of day

E. Seasons

F. Special lines

1. Equator

2. Tropics

3. Circles

G. Time

1. Apparent solar time

2. Mean solar time

3. Sidereal time

4. Local time

5. Standard time and time zones

6. Time problems

VIII. Landforms

A. Methods of study

B. Minerals

C. Rocks

1. Classification

2. Identification

D. Endogenous processes

1. Bending, folding, and faulting

2. Earthquakes

3. Volcanoes-surface and subsurface

4. Plate tectonics

E. Exogenous processes

1. Weathering

2. Gravity as agent of erosion

3. Running water as agent of erosion

4. Ground water as agent of erosion

5. Wind as agent of erosion

6. Ice as agent of erosion

7. Oceans as agent of erosion

IX. Weather

A. Weather elements

1. Temperature

2. Pressure

3. Winds

4. Moisture

5. Solar radiation

6. Air pollution

B. Weather controls

1. Latitude

2. Land and water distribution

3. Ocean currents

4. Altitude

5. Mountain barriers

6. Pressure and wind

7. Storms

8. Solar radiation

9. Air pollution

10. Local topography

C. Temperature

1. Temperature and structure of the atmosphere

2. Controls of solar radiation

3. How the atmosphere is cooled and heated

4. Heat balance

5. Differential heating of land and water

6. Daily cycle of air temperature

7. Annual cycle of air temperature

8. World distribution of temperature

D. Pressure and wind

1. Atmospheric pressure and measurement of air pressure

2. Pressure differences and their origins

3. World distribution of pressure

4. Forces that produce wind

5. The world wind system

6. Local wind systems

E. Ocean currents

1. Causes

2. Importance

F. Atmospheric moisture and precipitation

1. Humidity

2. Condensation

3. Precipitation

4. Storms

X. Climate of the World and Their Associated Vegetation and Soils

A. Importance

B. Classification of climate types and their locations

C. Tropical moist climates

1. Tropical rainforest

2. Tropical monsoon

3. Tropical savanna

4. Problems and potential of tropical climates

D. Dry climates

1. Reasons for lack of precipitation

2. Distribution of dry climates

3. Problems and potential of dry climates

E. Moist, mild winter climates

1. Humid subtropical

2. Mediterranean

3. Marine west coast

4. Problems and potential of moist, mild winter climates

F. Moist, severe winter climates

1. Effects of snow

2. Humid continental

3. Subarctic

4. Problems and potential of moist, severe winter climates

G. Polar climates

H. Highland climates

 

Go to Description    Go to top of Competencies    Go to top of Outline