PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, 9e, International Edition, uses the combined expertise of four respected geographers to show how Earth?s physical geography impacts humans, and how humans impact Earth?s physical geography. The text emphasizes three essential themes to demonstrate the major roles for the discipline -- Geography as a Physical Science, Geography as the Spatial Science, and Geography as Environmental Science. With a renewed focus on examining relationships and processes among Earth systems, this text helps students understand like never before how the various systems interrelate and how humans are an integral aspect of geography. Historically the first book to take a conservation approach, the authors continue to emphasize the theme of environmental and human impacts. Key Feature "Map Interpretation" exercises reflect the authors' view that map-interpreting skills are a priority for any new physical geographer. These 11 comprehensive exercises, which follow all the chapters that deal with landforms, will sharpen students' cartographic skills and teach new ways to analyze and look at the physical world. The featured maps present a wide spectrum of landform types from many areas of the U.S. These exercises may be used as a supplement to lab assignments. Unique "Geography's Perspective" boxes illustrate physical geography as a spatial science (how features are distributed and why), an environmental science (the processes of the Earth system and how humans interact with them), and a physical science (the properties and relationships among the Earth system's physical features). These compelling boxes grab students' attention with interesting, timely examples, ranging from mapping the paths of hurricanes to the Theory of Island Biogeography and the importance of watersheds to environmental management. An emphasis on critical-thinking skills helps provide a complete active approach to learning. Features that enhance critical-thinking skills include end-of-chapter discussion questions and activities, questions at the end of most figure captions, and questions woven into all "Chapter Previews." These questions help students truly gain understanding, as opposed to merely memorizing facts or key terms. The importance of technology to current geography studies is evident throughout the book. A full chapter ("Representations of Earth") is devoted to the tools used by geographers, including an introductory discussion of techniques used in analyzing or displaying locational and environmental aspects of Earth, including remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), computer-assisted cartography, and the global positioning system (GPS). The text contains extensive use of scientific visualization products (digital visual models) generated by NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), USGS, and other government agencies. Table of Contents 1. Physical Geography: Earth Environments and Systems. 2. Representations of Earth. 3. Earth-Sun Relationships and Solar Energy 4. The Atmosphere, Temperature, and the Heat Budget. 5. Atmospheric Pressure, Winds, and Circulation Patterns. 6. Moisture, Condensation, and Precipitation. 7. Air Masses and Weather Systems. 8. Global Climates and Climate Change. 9. Low-Latitude and Arid Climate Regions. 10. Middle-Latitude, Polar, and Highland Climatic Regions. 11. Biogeography. 12. Soils and Soil Development. 13. Earth Structure, Earth Materials, and Plate Tectonics 14. Volcanic and Tectonic Processes and Landforms 15. Weathering and Mass Wasting. 16. Underground Water and Karst Landforms. 17. Fluvial Processes and Landforms. 18. Arid Region and Eolian Processes and Landforms 19. Glacial Systems and Landforms. 20. Coastal Processes and Landforms. Appendix A: SI Units and Unit Conversions. Appendix B: Topographic Maps. Appendix C: Understanding and Recognizing Some Common Rocks.