Unit 1 Chapter 1 pp. 9-15 Notes Human Geography is the study of the spatial and material characteristics of the human-made places and people found on Earth?s surface Physical Geography is the spatial analysis of the structure, processes, and location of the Earth?s natural phenomena such as climate, soil, plants, animals, and topography Topography: the detailed mapping or charting of the features of a relatively small area, district or locality (this includes land and water features) and precise Geography: ?why of where?-Marvin Mikesell So what? Spatial is dealing with how places and phenomena are laid out, organized, and arranged on the Earth and how they appear on the landscape Spatial distribution is the physical location of geographic phenomena across space