Physical Geography & Geology, what is the difference?  

 

The main difference between these two disciplines is that geographers deal with the question “Where?” and examine spatial relationships and patterns.  Geography is typically divided into two sub-disciplines: (1) Physical and (2) Human.  Increasingly, spatial patterns are often uncovered with the use of technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Position Systems (GPS). 

 

Geology is primarily concerned with earth processes and the distribution minerals and other economically valuable materials. Geologists ask themselves when and how with respect to deciphering the earth’s history as it is preserved in the “rock record”.  For example, what kind of rock and how/when was it created?  This information is used in industry, land use-planning and in disaster prevention.

 

Geography - Physical Geography

 

Geographers are in an all-encompassing discipline that foremost seeks to understand the Earth and all of its human and natural complexities—not merely “where” objects are, but how they have changed, come to be, and/or continue to interact.  Geographic scale (from micro to global) is an important consideration because spatial relationships depend on the size of the area under considered.  As a “bridge” discipline between the human and environmental phenomenon, geography is divided into two subfields: human geography and physical geography. The former focuses largely on the built environment and how space is created, viewed and managed by humans.   The latter is further divided into Climatology (study of earth’s climate), Biogeography (the distribution of living organisms) and Geomorphology (the surface expression of the land). 

 Click to see Branches of Geography.