Duration of the online course: 11 hours and 24 minutes
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Build real-world mapping, weather, rocks and landform skills in this free online Physical Geography course—practice with quizzes and earn a certificate-ready foundation.
In this free course, learn about
Physical geography focus: Earth systems, processes, and patterns shaping the natural environment
Using latitude/longitude to locate places; latitude’s mapping significance and time zones from longitude
Public Land Survey System purpose and township/range land division basics
Topographic maps: contour rules, V-shaped valleys, and drawing contours from elevation data
Astronomy basics: Big Bang overview and distinguishing observation vs interpretation
Geologic time concepts: fossils/dinosaurs context and the law of superposition
Seasons explained by Earth’s axial tilt; solar budget, albedo, shortwave vs longwave radiation
Atmospheric circulation: Hadley Cell, lapse rates (DALR/SALR), humidity/pressure, major gases
Cloud identification and severe-weather clouds (e.g., cumulonimbus) and storm formation basics
Minerals: definition requirements and identification using key physical properties (esp. hardness)
Rock cycle: igneous/sedimentary/metamorphic processes and how heat/pressure drive metamorphism
Weathering vs erosion; soil horizons (O, B) and soil texture triangle/field texture ID
Plate tectonics drivers; faults, earthquakes, volcanism controls; San Andreas/Farallon examples
Physical geography helps you make sense of how Earth works as a connected system, from the coordinates that place you on a map to the atmospheric patterns that shape climate, and from the rocks beneath your feet to the landforms carved by wind, rivers, waves, and ice. This free online course is designed for learners who want a clear, practical foundation in geography as a school subject, while also building skills that transfer to earth science, environmental studies, planning, and everyday decision-making.
You will strengthen core map-reading confidence by learning how latitude and longitude locate any place on the planet and how time relates to longitude. You will also get comfortable interpreting topographic maps and contour patterns so you can visualize terrain rather than just see lines on a page. As the course moves into the atmosphere, you connect seasons to Earth’s geometry, explore how energy flows through the solar budget and albedo, and understand circulation patterns that drive weather. Concepts like lapse rate and cloud formation become useful tools for explaining what you observe outdoors, not just definitions to memorize.
The course also grounds you in essential geology: mineral identification, the rock cycle, and the forces that rebuild Earth’s crust through plate tectonics, faulting, earthquakes, and volcanism. You then apply that knowledge to landscape change through weathering, erosion, and soils, including horizons and texture—key ideas for interpreting ecosystems and land use. Finally, you travel across major geomorphic environments, examining coastal processes and tides, river systems, deserts and wind transport, and the signatures of glaciation. Throughout, short checks for understanding reinforce the science and help you learn actively, making it easier to retain concepts and explain Earth processes with accuracy.
By the end, you will be able to link location, time, climate, materials, and landforms into one coherent picture—an ideal preparation for school success, further study, or anyone who wants to read the landscape with new clarity.
Course content
Video class: Introduction to Your Course | Physical Geography with Prof. Jeremy Patrich 202111m
Exercise: What is a key focus of physical geography as described in the introduction to the course?
Video class: Introduction to Physical Geography | OER Units 1-4 Overview08m
Exercise: What is the significance of latitude in geographical mapping?
Video class: Introduction to Physical Geography | Physical Geography with Professor Patrich26m
Exercise: What are the two primary branches of geography discussed in a typical geography course?
Video class: Latitude and Longitude: Mapping the Earth | Physical Geography with Professor Patrich29m
Exercise: Which system is primarily used to specify every location on Earth by a set of numbers?
Video class: Longitude and Time | How-To Geography Videos With Jeremy Patrich10m
Exercise: If Location X is at a longitude of 30 degrees west and Location Y is at 90 degrees west, what is the time difference between these two locations?
Video class: Township10m
Exercise: What was the primary purpose of the Public Land Survey System introduced by the Land Ordinance Act of 1785?
Video class: Read09m
Exercise: What does a V-shaped contour line on a topographic map typically indicate?
Video class: Drawing Contour06m
Exercise: What is a critical rule about how contour lines behave on a topographic map?
Video class: Drawing Contour Lines on a Map | How-To Geography Videos With Jeremy Patrich03m
Exercise: When creating a contour map, what is primarily used to determine the placement of contour lines?
Video class: From Big Bang to Big Questions: Unraveling the Universe with Modern Astronomy | Earth Science15m
Exercise: Which of the following best describes the difference between observation and interpretation in astronomy?
Video class: Dinosaurs24m
Exercise: What is the law of superposition, as it relates to geology?
Video class: Introduction to Weather and Climate | OER Units 5-7 Overview05m
Exercise: Which factor is primarily responsible for the change of seasons on Earth?
Video class: Reasons for Earths Seasons | Physical Geography with Professor Patrich25m
Exercise: What is the primary reason for the different seasons experienced on Earth?
Video class: The Solar Budget, Albedo28m
Exercise: What is the primary difference between shortwave and longwave radiation in the context of solar energy reaching Earth?
Video class: Weather 101: Introducing Atmospheric Circulation20m
Exercise: Which of the following is a correct description of the Hadley Cell?
Video class: Calculating Lapse Rate | How-To Geography Videos With Jeremy Patrich09m
Exercise: When ascending a mountain, at what point do you switch from using the Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate (DALR) to the Saturated Adiabatic Lapse Rate (SALR) to calculate the change in temperature?
Video class: Introduction to Clouds | Physical Geography with Professor Patrich17m
Exercise: Which of the following cloud types is characterized by its ability to produce severe weather phenomena such as thunderstorms and even tornadoes?
Video class: Introduction to Geology: Minerals04m
Exercise: Which of the following processes involves the transformation of a sedimentary rock into another type of rock through heat and pressure?
Video class: Introduction to Minerals and Identification | Physical Geography with Professor Patrich23m
Exercise: Which of the following is not a requirement for a substance to be classified as a mineral?
Video class: The Rock Cycle: Igneous, Sedimentary,25m
Exercise: Which of the following statements is true about metamorphic rocks?
Video class: Farallon Plate, San Andreas Fault03m
Exercise: What type of geological feature is the Farallon Plate associated with in the region of Mecca, California?
Video class: Physical and Chemical Weathering | OER Units 12 Overview03m
Exercise: Which soil horizon is composed mainly of organic material such as decomposed leaves and plant matter?
Video class: Secrets in Sediment: Unearthing Earth's Past with Weathering, Erosion17m
Exercise: What is the primary difference between weathering and erosion as described in the context of shaping landscapes?
Video class: Soil Texture Triangle - Comparison of Particle Size | How-To Geography Videos With Jeremy Patrich06m
Exercise: When identifying soil texture in the field, what is the characteristic of sand based on its texture?
Video class: Soil Horizons09m
Exercise: What is the primary function of the B horizon (subsoil) in a soil profile?
Video class: Earth's Dynamic Crust and Lithosphere | OER Units 13-15 Overview05m
Exercise: Which of the following statements is true regarding plate tectonics and the movement of Earth's plates?
Video class: Earth's Dynamic Lithosphere28m
Exercise: What is a key driver of the tectonic plate movement on Earth?
Video class: San Andreas Fault Pressure Ridge California Geology Palmdale | Out in the Field with Jeremy Patrich03m
Exercise: What geological feature is formed as a result of two tectonic plates meeting and creating a fold in the Earth's crust?
Video class: Introduction to Earthquakes30m
Exercise: Which type of fault involves the vertical displacement of rock layers, causing one side to be thrust upward relative to the other?
Video class: Beyond Lava: Volcanoes, Pyroclastic Material19m
Exercise: What is one of the three primary factors that determine the characteristics of volcanic eruptions?
Video class: ? Decoding Earth's Sculpture: A Geomorphological Journey Through Wind, Water29m
Exercise: What is Aeolian geomorphology the study of?
Video class: Coastal Beach Geomorphology | OER Unit 16 Overview05m
Exercise: What are the primary forces responsible for generating tides?
Video class: Coastal 101: Exploring Landforms, Tides25m
Exercise: What mainly causes waves in the ocean?
Video class: Fluvial Geomorphology | OER Unit 17 Overview07m
Exercise: In fluvial environments, how is material primarily moved along a river system?
Video class: Fluvial (Rivers) Geomorphology | Physical Geography with Professor Patrich35m
Exercise: What is the primary purpose of studying fluvial geomorphology?
Video class: Arid Desert Environments Aeolian Geomorphology | OER Unit 18 Overview06m
Exercise: In aeolian geomorphology, what is the primary mode of wind transportation where grains are lifted and then impact the surface, dislodging other material?
Video class: Aeolian (Arid32m
Exercise: Which of the following best explains how wind influences the formation of sand dunes in arid environments?
Video class: Glacial Environments and Geomorphology | OER Unit 19 Overview08m
Exercise: What feature is created by glaciers that results in a very steep, large U-shaped valley?
Video class: Bishop, California, Lake Sabrina03m
Exercise: What is the term used to describe the amphitheater-shaped feature formed by glaciers advancing and digging into the ground?
Video class: Glacial Geomorphology | Physical Geography with Professor Patrich35m
Exercise: Which of the following best describes the process by which glaciers carve out deep valleys in a U-shaped formation?
Video class: Mastering the Science of the Atmosphere: Decoding Humidity, Pressure43m
Exercise: Which of the following gases makes up the largest percentage of Earth's atmosphere?
Video class: How to Identify Minerals: The Physical Properties | How-To Geography With Jeremy Patrich07m
Exercise: What is considered the most reliable physical property for identifying minerals?
What physical geography topics are covered in this free online course?
The course covers map reading, latitude and longitude, weather and climate, geology, soils, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, and landforms shaped by rivers, wind, coasts, and glaciers.
How does the course explain latitude, longitude, and time zones?
It teaches how latitude and longitude identify locations on Earth and how longitude relates to time differences between places.
What geomorphology processes are studied in the Physical Geography course?
It examines how weathering, erosion, rivers, wind, waves, tides, and glaciers shape landscapes and create landforms.
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Course comments: Physical Geography
Kagisho Andries Mothobi
I did enjoy the course, and it really makes a huge difference in my life. Thank you so much for bringing such a momentous course.