Physical Geography for UPSC Study Material

Minerals – Feldspar, Quartz, Pyroxene Amphibole, Mica, Olivine
Physical Characteristics- Crystal Form, Cleavage Fracture, Lusture, Color, Streak
Transparency, Structure, Hardness, Specific Gravity
Metallic minerals – precious Ferrous, Non Ferrous
Non-metallic Minerals – Sulphur, Phosphates, Cement

Rocks (Aggregate of Minerals)

Petrology

Rocks & landforms

Rocks & Soils

3 Family of Rocks

Igneous
Sedimentary
Metamorphic

Rock Cycle

Earthquakes

Waves: P, S, Body, Surface

Shadow Zone

Types of Earthquakes

Effects

Frequency

Locating an Epicenter

Volcano

Types

Shield
Composite
Caldera
Flood Basalt
Mid Ocean Ridge

Landforms (intrusive)

Batholiths

Laccoliths

Lapoliths

Phacoliths

Sills

Dykes

Geomorphic Processes

Earth’s Surface

Exogenic Forces
Endogenic Forces
Gradation, Degradation & Aggradations

Geomorphic Process

Endogenic Process

Diastrophism

Orogenic
Epierogenic
Earthquakes
Plate movements

Volcanism

Exogenic Forces

Denudation Processes

Weathering
Mass movements
Erosion Transportation & Deposition

Distribution of Continents & Oceans

Theories

Continental Drift Theory

Alfred Wegner 1912
Pangea, Panthalasa
Laurasia, Gondwanaland

Evidence in support of Continental Drift Theory

Jigsaw Fit
Rocks of Same age across oceans
Tillite
Placer Deposits
Distribution of Fossils

Forces of Drifting

Pole Fleeing Force
Tidal Force

Post Drift Studies

Convectional Current Theory
Mapping of the Ocean Floor

Continents – plate Tectonics

Lithospheric Plates
Major Plate
Minor Plates

Plate Boundaries

Divergent
Convergent
Transform

Rates of Plate Movements

Force of plate movements

Indian Plate

Movement from 71mnyrs ago till Today

Landforms and their Evolution

Causes

Geomorphic Processes
Agents

Geomorphic Agents

Erosional or Destructional
Depositional or Constructional

Agents and their Impacts

Wind, Running Water, Ground Water, Glaciers, Waves & Currents

Winds

One of the Two dominant agents in Hot deserts
Cause – Deflation Abrasion Impact
Erosional landforms

Pediments and Pedi plains

Playas

Deflation Hollows and Caves

Mushroom, Table & Pedestal Rocks

Depositional Landforms

Barchans

Self

Parabolic

Transverse

Longitudinal

Running Water

Humid Regions

2 Components

Overland Flow – Sheet
Linear Flow – Strems

Stages

Youth Mature Old

Erosional Landforms

Valleys

Rills
Gullies
Valleys – V Shape, Gorge (Hard Rocks), Canyon (Sedimentary)

Depositional Landforms

Alluvial Fans

Delta

Flood Plains, Natural Levees, Point Bars

Meanders, Slip off Bank, Under cut bank

Oxbow lake

Braided Channels

Ground Water (Karsts Topography)

Permeable Rocks

Percolation
Bedding Plains

Limestone and Dolomite Regions

Balkans, Adjacent to Adriatic regions

Erosional Landforms

Pools – Swallow Hole, Valley Sinks (Uvalas), Sinkholes, Collapse sinks (Dolines), Lapis, Ridges, Limestone Pavements
Caves – Altering bed of Rocks (Shale sandstone quartzite), Caves and Tunnels

Depositional Landforms

Stalactites
Stalagmites
Pillar Columns

Glaciers

Erosional Landforms

Cirque of Tarn Lakes
Hors and Serrated Regions – Arete
Glacial Valleys/ Troughs – Fiords

Depositional Landforms

Glacial Tills
Moraines
Eskers
Outwash Planes
Drumlins

Waves and Currents

High Rocky Coasts & Low Sedimentary Coasts

Erosional Landforms

Cliffs
Terraces
Caves
Stacks

Depositional Landforms

Beaches and Dunes
Bars Barriers Spits

Weathering

Weather over Earth Materials

Factors

Geological
Climatic
Topographic
Vegetative

Major Processes

Chemical
Physical or Mechanical
Biological

Chemical – Forces Chemical Action

Solution
Carbonation
Hydration
Oxidation & Reduction

Physical Forces Gravitational, Expansion, Water Pressure

Unloading & Expansion
Temperature changes and Expansion
Freezing, Thawing, & Frost Wedging
Salt Wedging

Biological Weathering

Burrowing
Wedging
Plant Roots
Effects of Weathering
Exfoliation (Flaking) – Exfoliation Domes, Tors

Significance of Weathering

Soil Formation
Biomes and Biodiversity
Leaching/ Enrichment

Mass Movements

Activating causes

Forms of movement – Heave Flow Slide

3 major Groups – Slow Movement, Rapid Movements, land Slides

Landforms across the world

Rivers and lakes

Mountain and Peaks

Plateaus

B. Climatology

Composition

Gases

Water Vapour

Dust Particles

Structure

Exosphere

Thermosphere

Mesosphere

Stratosphere

Troposphere

Altitude vs Temperature

Solar Radiation Heat Balance Temperature

Insolation
Aphelion and Perihelion
Variability of Insolation at the surface of the Earth

Day Season Year
Rotation on Axis, Angle of Inclination of sun rays, Length of the day
Transparency of Atmosphere, configuration of land in terms of its aspect

Heat Balance

Heating and cooling of atmosphere

Conduction
Convection
Advection

Terrestrial Radiation
Heat Budget of the Planet Earth
Marco Budget

Conduction
Convection
Advection

Variation in the net Heat Budget at the Earth’s Surface

Temperature

Factors controlling T distribution
Distribution of T Month of January – July
Range of T Month of January – July
Inversion of Temperature

Atmospheric Circulation and Weather Systems

Atmospheric Pressure
Vertical variation of pressure
Horizontal distribution of pressure
World Distribution of Sea Level Pressure
Factors affecting the velocity and direction of the WIND

Pressure Gradient Force
Frictional Force
Coriolis Force
Pressure and Wind (Cyclonic & Anticyclone Circulation

General Circulation of the Atmosphere - Pattern of Planetary Winds

Latitudinal Variation of Atmospheric Heating
Emergence of Pressure Belts
Migration of Belts Following apparent Path of Sun
Distribution of continents & Oceans
Rotation of the Earth

Circulation

Simplified Global Circulation – Hadley Cell, Ferrell Cell
Seasonal Wind
Local Wind
Land and Sea Breezes
Mountain and Valley winds
AIR MASS – fronts
Extra Tropical Cyclone
Thunderstorms
Tornadoes

Water in the Atmosphere

Water Vapour
Precipitation
Humidity – Absolute and Relative
Saturation – Dew Point
Evaporation and Condensation

Dew
Frost
Fog & Mist

Clouds

Types – Cirrus Cumulus Stratus Nimbus
High – Cirrus Cirrostratus Cirrocumulus
Middle – Altostratus Altocumulus
Low – Stratocumulus Nimbostratus
Vertical Development – Cumulus and Cumulonimbus

Precipitation

Rainfall Snowfall Sleet Hail Hailstones

Types of Rainfall

Conventional
Orographic
Cyclonic
World Distribution of Rainfall

World Climate

The Hot, Wet Equatorial Climate
The Tropical Monsoon and Tropical Marine Climates
The Savanna or Sudan Climate
The Hot Desert and Mid-Latitude Desert Climates
The Warm Temperate Western Margin (Mediterranean) Climate
The Temperate Continental (Steppe) Climate
The Warm Temperate Eastern Margin (China Type) Climate
The Cool Temperate Western Margin (British Type) Climate
The Cool Temperate Continental (Siberian) Climate
The Cool Temperate Eastern Margin (Lauren-tian) Climate
The Arctic or Polar Climate

C. Oceanography

Water on the Surface of the Earth

Hydrological Cycle
Processes

Oceans

Relief of the Ocean floor
4 divisions of the ocean floor

Continental Shelf
Continental Slope
Deep sea plain
Oceanic deep and Trenches

Minor relief features

Mid-oceanic ridges
Seamount
Submarine canyons
Guy outs
Atoll

Temperature of the Ocean Water

Vertical
Spatial
Factors affecting Temperature distribution

Latitude
Unequal distribution of land & Water
Prevailing wind
Ocean Currents

Horizontal & Vertical Distribution

Thermocline
3 layers

Salinity of the Ocean Water

Factors affecting salinity

Evaporation and precipitation
Fresh water flow from rivers
Wing
Ocean currents

Horizontals distribution of salinity
Vertical Distribution of salinity

Density of Ocean Waters

Movements of ocean Water

Factors influencing Movement

Temperature
Salinity
Density
Sun MOON WINDS

Motion – Horizontal & Vertical Currents
Characteristic of WAVE

Crest and Trough
Height
Amplitude
Period
Length
Speed
Frequency

Relation between Gravitational Forces and Tides

Tidal currents
Types of Tides

Based on Frequency – Semi Diurnal, Diurnal, mixed
Based on SME position – spring and Neap Tides

Importance of Tides

Ocean Currents

Influenced by 2 forces
Primary Force that initiates the movement

Heating of solar energy
Wind
Gravity
Coriolis force

Secondary force that influence the currents to flow
Characteristic – Drift – 5 knots
Types of ocean currents

Surface currents & Deep water currents based on Depth
Cold and Warm Currents based on Temperature

Major Ocean currents of the World
Effects of Ocean Currents

D. Water Resource

Underground water resource
Surface water resources
Inland water resources: Utilization of inland water resources: Main features of ocean
Utilization of oceans by man
Water consumption patterns
Water pollution
Conservation of water resources
Techniques of water conservation

E. Biogeography

Soil

Soil Characteristics
Factors Responsible for Soil Formation
Stages of Soil Formation
Soil Forming Processes
Soil Profiles and Horizons
Soil Classification
Soil Erosion and conservation

Vegetation resources

Types of natural vegetation
Forests
Significance of forests

Economic significance, Ecological significance
Cultural significance

Factors of forest development
Extent of forest cover
Classification of forests

Grasslands
Desert vegetation
Tundra vegetation

Economic utilization of forests
Deforestation

Deforestation in tropical forests
Deforestation in temperate forests
Rate and extent of deforestation
Causes and factors of deforestation: Immediate causes of deforestation
Indirect deforestation
Underlying causes of deforestation

Conservation of forests

Forest conservation strategies
Reforestation
Monoculture plantation
Afforestation

Types of forestry

Social forestry
Agro-forestry

State PCS

Physical Geography | UPSC

GEOGRAPHY OF INDIA

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