The geographically informed person must understand that physical systems create, maintain, and modify the features that constitute Earth’s surface. The physical environment provides the essential background for all human activity on Earth.
Therefore, Standard 7 contains these themes: Components of Earth’s Physical Systems, Earth-Sun Relationships, and Physical Processes.
There are four physical systems: the atmosphere, the biosphere, the hydrosphere, and the lithosphere. These constitute the essential units of the planet’s physical systems. Recognizing the interactions within and among these four components offers insights on how Earth serves as the home of all living things—plants, animals, and humans.
Almost all of Earth’s energy comes from the Sun. The synchronized Earth-Sun relationships are essential for the planet to be habitable and capable of supporting life as we know it. Earth’s position relative to the Sun affects events and conditions in every part of the world. The amount of solar energy a place receives depends on the cyclically changing angles of the Sun’s rays. The seasons result from the tilt of Earth and its revolution around the Sun causing variable heating patterns, and thus significantly influences climate and weather as well as human activity.
The physical processes on Earth create constant change. These processes—including movement in the tectonic plates in the crust, wind and water erosion, and deposition—shape features on Earth’s surface.
Understanding how physical systems work can influence the choices people make about where they live, the types of buildings they construct, the travel networks they develop, and how they generally conduct their lives. Given the uncertain trajectory and effects of global climate change, knowledge about the factors that affect weather and climate is important for both personal and governmental decision-making. Global climate change is a public policy issue that must be addressed by governments, resulting in actions that determine the health, safety, and economic well-being of people across the world. Reasoned and responsible political decisions must derive from a clear understanding of the interactions among Earth’s physical systems, as well as the processes creating them.
Students must understand the effects of physical systems on Earth’s surface. Understanding these themes enables students to see how the changing physical environment is the stage for all human activity.
1. There are four components of Earth’s physical systems (the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere)
Therefore, the student is able to:
A. Identify attributes of Earth’s different physical systems, as exemplified by being able to
2. Earth-Sun relationships affect conditions on Earth
Therefore, the student is able to:
A. Describe how Earth’s position relative to the Sun affects conditions on Earth, as exemplified by being able to
3. Physical processes shape features on Earth’s surface
Therefore, the student is able to:
A. Identify examples of physical processes, as exemplified by being able to
B. Describe how physical processes shape features on Earth’s surface, as exemplified by being able to
1. The four components of Earth’s physical systems (the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere) are interdependent
Therefore, the student is able to:
A. Identify and describe patterns in the environment that result from the interaction of Earth’s physical processes, as exemplified by being able to
B. Analyze and explain patterns of physical features resulting from the interactions of Earth’s physical processes, as exemplified by being able to
2. Earth-Sun relationships drives physical processes that follow an annual cycle and create patterns on Earth
Therefore, the student is able to:
A. Explain how Earth-Sun relationships drive Earth’s physical processes and create annual patterns, as exemplified by being able to
3. Physical processes generate patterns of features across Earth’s surface
Therefore, the student is able to:
A. Analyze and explain the patterns that occur on Earth’s surface as a result of physical processes, as exemplified by being able to
1. The interactions of Earth’s physical systems (the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere) vary across space and time
Therefore, the student is able to:
A. Explain how the effects of physical processes vary across regions of the world and over time, as exemplified by being able to
B. Explain the ways in which Earth’s physical processes are dynamic and interactive, as exemplified by being able to
2. Earth-Sun relationships are variable over long periods of time resulting in changes in physical processes and patterns on Earth
Therefore, the student is able to:
A. Explain how variability in Earth-Sun relationships affect Earth’s physical processes over time, as exemplified by being able to
3. Physical processes interact over time to shape particular places on Earth’s surface
Therefore, the student is able to:
A. Analyze and explain the results of interactions of physical processes over time, as exemplified by being able to