GEOGRAPHY

FORM 1 NOTES
Miss Masaga
 Geography
Scientific study of the earth as a home of
man.
Study of interrelationship on natural and
human phenomena on the earth’s
surface.
 Environment
The surroundings
All external conditions surrounding an
organism which has influence over its
behavior.
 Environment
 Environment can be divided into two:
1. The Physical Environment
Natural physical conditions of weather, climate,
vegetation, animals, soil, landforms and drainage.
2. The Human Environment
Human activities such as farming, forestry, mining,
tourism, settlement, transportation, trade and
industry.
 1. Physical Geography
 Deals with the study of natural physical environment of human kind.
 The areas covered include:
a) Geology-study of the origin, structure and composition of the earth. It
includes study of rocks.
b) Geomorphology- the study of internal and external land forming
processes and landforms.
c) Climatology- the study of climate and weather
d) Pedology- the study of soils
e) Biogeography - the study of soils, vegetation and animals.
f) Hydrology- the study of water bodies
g) Spatial geography-study of space
 2. Human and Economic Geography
 Study of people and their activities on the earth’s surface.
 The areas covered include:
a) Mining
b) Forestry
c) Agriculture
d) Fishing
e) Wildlife and tourism
f) Industry
g) Energy etc.
 3. Practical Geography
 A smaller branch which equips the learner with
practical skills that enhance their understanding and
interpretation of human and physical geographical
information.
 The areas are:
a)Statistical methods
b)Map work
c)Field work
d)Photograph work
 Importance of Studying Geography

1.Facilitates good relationship among nations by

studying geography of other regions of the world.
2.it’s a career subject in that it enables one to go for
advanced studies in specialized fields e.g. geography
teachers, meteorology, surveying etc.
3.Enables us to appreciate other people’s way of life by
learning economic activities of different communities
within our country and other parts of the world.
4. Enables us to conserve our environment when we learn
negative and positive effects of human activities on the
environment.
5. Enables us to conserve our resources when we learn wise
use of resources in conservation and management of
resources e.g. wildlife, forests, energy, etc.
6. Inculcates in us virtues of cooperation and patience as we
work in groups.
7. Makes us to appreciate manual work as we are involved in
practical geography which may lead to self employment.
8. Promotion of industry such as tourism by guiding tourists
to places of interest by using maps, calculations of distances
etc.
 Relationship between Geography and Other Subjects

1. Mathematics-mathematical techniques are used in drawing graphs and pie charts

and mathematical formulae are used in geography to calculate distances, areas,
population density, population densities, etc.
2. History-history uses geographical tools like maps, charts and graphs to show where
past events took place e.g. the movement of people in the past.
3. Biology-Geography explains the distribution of organisms and factors influencing
their distribution on the earth’s surface.
4. Physics-geography uses physics principles and formulae to calculate and describe
aspects such as magnetic field, gravity, vibrations of the earth etc.
5. Chemistry-geography applies chemistry in studying chemical composition and
chemical changes which take place in soils and rocks.
6. Agriculture-geography studies farming systems, their distribution and factors
affecting farming activities.
7. Meteorology-geography uses meteorological information in the study of weather and
in classifying climatic regions and mapping them.
8. Geology-geography studies rocks.
Topics to cover
1: WEATHER AND CLIMATE
2: LANDFORMS AND LANDSCAPE PROCESSES
3: ECOSYSTEMS
4: NATURAL RESOURCES
5: ENERGY AND POWER DEVELOPMENT
6: MAP WORK AND GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS
7: MINERALS AND MINING
8: ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
9: AGRICULTURE AND LAND REFORM
10: INDUSTRY
11: SETTLEMENT AND POPULATION
12: TRANSPORT AND TRADE
1: WEATHER AND CLIMATE
 Weather

 Daily atmospheric conditions of a

place at a particular time.
 It is the state of the atmosphere
at a particular place and time as
regards heat, cloudiness,
dryness, sunshine, wind, rain,
etc.
 Elements of Weather
1.Temperature
2.Humidity precipitation
3.Precipitation
4.Atmospheric pressure
5.Wind
6.Sunshine
7.Cloud cover
 A Weather Station
 A place where observation, measuring
and recording of weather elements is
done
Factors to Be Taken Into Account When Sitting a Weather
Station
1.An open place where there is little obstruction of
weather elements.
2.Accessible place so that recording can be done
easily.
3.A fairly level or gently sloping ground (5◦) so that
it’s easy to position weather instruments.
4.The place should provide a wide view of the
surrounding landscape and the sky.
5.The site should be free from flooding.
6.The place should have security.
 Instruments for Measuring Elements of Weather

1.Thermometer-temperature
2.Hygrometer-humidity
3.Rain gauge-rainfall
4.Barometer-air pressure
5.Sunshine recorder-sunshine duration and
intensity
6.Wind vane –wind direction
7.Anemometer-wind speed
8.Evaporimeter-rate and amount of evaporation.
 The Stevenson Screen

A white wooden box mounted on 4 legs used

to house thermometers and hygrometers.
The instruments which are found in it are:
1.Maximum thermometer
2.minimum thermometer
3.Six’s thermometer
4.hygrometer-wet bulb and dry bulb
thermometer
 Importance
 Provide shade conditions for accurate
temperature recording.
 Ensure safety of thermometers
because they are delicate.
 Qualifications Which Make Stevenson
Screen Suitable For Its Work
1.Painted white for little absorption of solar heat
energy.
2.Made of wood which is a bad conductor of heat.
3.Well ventilated to allow easier flow of air inside it.
4.Raised to prevent contact with terrestrial radiation.
5.Has double roof which acts as an insulator to
prevent direct heating from the sun.
Recording and Calculating
Weather Conditions
 1. Temperature
 Degree of hotness of an object or a
place.
 It’s measured using 3 types of
thermometers namely:
1.Maximum thermometer
2.Minimum thermometer
3.Six’s thermometer
 Maximum Thermometer
 It’s used to measure the highest temperature reached in
a day. It uses mercury
How It’s Used/Works
 Temperature rises causing mercury to expand.
 Mercury pushes the index up.
 When temperature falls mercury contracts.
 The maximum temperature is read from the scale at the
lower end of the index.
 Thermometer is reset by shaking it to force mercury back
into the bulb.
 Minimum thermometer
 It’s used to record the lowest temperature reached in
a day. It uses alcohol.
How it’s Used/Works
 Temperature falls causing alcohol to contract.
 Alcohol pulls the index down.
 When temperature rises alcohol expands and rises in
the tube.
 The index remains where it was pulled.
 Minimum temperature reading is obtained from the
scale at the lower end of the index.
 Calculating Temperature
1. Diurnal/daily Temperature range -Difference between the maximum and
minimum temperature for any one day.
2. Mean Daily Temperature -Average of the maximum and the minimum daily
temperatures.
3. Mean Monthly temperature -Sum of mean daily temperatures in a month
divided by the number of days in that month.
4. Mean Monthly minimum Temperature -Sum of daily minimum
temperatures divided by the number of days in that month.
5. Mean Monthly Maximum Temperature -Sum of daily maximum
temperatures divided by the number of days in that month.
6. Mean Annual Temperature -Sum of mean monthly temperatures divided
by 12.
7. Mean Annual Temperature Range -Difference between the highest and
the lowest mean monthly temperatures in a year
 2. Rainfall
 Rain gauge is the instrument used to measure the amount of rainfall in a day.
 It should be made of impermeable material which can’t absorb water.
How the rain gauge Used/Works
 It’s taken to an open space to prevent water from
dropping into the funnel.
 Its sunk into the ground to prevent evaporation
 The funnel top is left 30cm above the ground to prevent
splashes of water and run off.
 After 24 hours water is emptied into the measuring
cylinder.
 The reading of the amount of rainfall is got from the
measuring cylinder in millimetres.
 The figure represents the millimetres of water falling on
each square millimeter of the ground.
 It could be used to measure snow fall by melting it before
the readings are gotten.
 Calculating Rainfall
1.Monthly Rainfall Total
-Sum of rainfall recorded in a month.
2. Annual Rainfall Total
-Sum of monthly rainfall totals for 12 months.
3. Mean Monthly Rainfall
-Sum of rainfall totals for a particular month over several
years divided by the number of the years of observation.
4. Mean Annual Rainfall
-Sum of mean monthly rainfall for 12 months of the year.
 3. Sunshine
Duration of
sunshine is
measured
using
Campbell
stokes
sunshine
recorder.
 How It Works
 Spherical lens focuses light on sensitized
paper.
 The paper burns when the sun is shining.
 The total hours of sunshine is got by
adding all the burnt sections from
calibrations on the side of sensitized paper.
 The sensitized paper is changed every
day.
 4. Humidity
• Humidity is the water content in the
atmosphere.
• It’s measured with hygrometer or psychrometer
which consists of wet and dry bulb
thermometers kept in Stevenson screen.
• Wet bulb thermometer is a thermometer
covered with muslin bag immersed in water
while dry bulb thermometer has no muslin.
Hygrometer
How It Works
 When air is dry there is a lot of evaporation from the
muslin.
 Evaporation cools the bulb of thermometer resulting in a
low temperature reading.
 When humidity is high there is little evaporation from the
muslin.
 The wet bulb thermometer is cooled at a slower rate and
both thermometers show almost the same temperature
reading.
 The difference in readings between the two
thermometers is used to determine relative humidity.
Interpretation of Hygrometer Readings

When the 2 readings are the same, relative

humidity is 100% i.e. the air is saturated.
If the difference is small, humidity is high.
If the difference is big, humidity is very low.
5. Wind
Direction
Wind direction
is determined
using wind
vane
 How It Works
 As the wind blows the arrow swings.
 The arrow points in the opposite direction of the wind
flow.
 The direction is read from the cardinal compass
points.
 The arrow will point in the direction from which the
wind is blowing.
 For instance if it points S the wind is blowing from S
towards N.
 Used to indicate the general direction of wind
flow.
 Not kept in a weather station because it
doesn’t give the accurate direction of wind
flow.
 Seen near airstrips for the benefit of pilots.
How it Works -When wind blows the bas
stretches out in the direction that the wind is
blowing.
6. Wind
speed/Velocity
Measured using
anemometer .
 How It Works
 When wind bows hemispherical cups rotate.
 The number of rotations is obtained from
the meter on the lower part of the
anemometer.
 The units for measuring wind are called
knots.
 7. Atmospheric Pressure
 The force exerted by gases in the atmosphere
on some area or body on the earths surface.
 Measured using barometers of three types
namely mercury, aneroid and Fortin
Barometers.
 How It Works
 Air exerts pressure on the mercury in the beaker.

 The height of mercury in the tube is proportional to the

atmospheric pressure.
 The readings are taken in mmHg.

 Its 760mmHg at sea level

8. Evaporation
The rate and amount of
evaporation is
measured using piche
and tank
evaporimeters.
 How It Works
 The tank with water is put in the open.

 Water evaporates when there is a lot of sunshine.

 Water in the tank reduces.

 The rate and amount of evaporation is got from

calibrations in the inner side of the tank in mm.
 Weather Forecasting

-Prediction of the conditions of the atmosphere for a given

place for a certain period.

-Methods of Weather Forecasting

1.Traditional Methods

2.Modern Methods
 1. Traditional Methods
-Prediction of weather based on traditional beliefs and facts.
 Plants shedding leaves indicates period of drought.
 Safari ants indicate it will rain.
 Migration of butterflies also indicates it will rain.
 Croaking of frogs during dry season indicate its going to rain.
 Flowering of certain plants indicates the onset of rainfall.
 Changes in the intensity of sunshine indicate its going to rain.
 2. Modern Methods
Prediction of weather using modern instruments and new technology of
collecting, transmitting, processing and analysing weather data.
Instruments Used
1. Satellites-electronic devices which orbit the earth which collect and
transmit weather data which is interpreted by computers.
2. Radar-an instrument used to see cloud formation.
3. Sensors/radiosodes-instrument fixed on a balloon used to measure
atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity.
4. Computers-electronic device used to store, analyse and display weather
information.
 Significance/Importance of Weather Forecasting
1 Helps us to be aware of natural calamities related to weather before they occur
so as to take precautionary measures.
2. Guiding tourists on when to visit national parks.
3. Helps farmers to plan their activities such as planting, harvesting.
4. Ensures air and water transport is carried out safely.
5. Helps sporting people to plan their training and competition schedules.
6. Helps people to plan many other activities such as mining, electricity
generation, holiday events.
7. Helps fishing communities to plan their activities.
 Factors Hindering Weather Forecasting
1. Lack of skilled man power due to limited training facilities.
2. Lack of modern equipment leading to wrong forecasts.
3. Natural calamities such as storms and earthquakes.
4. Extreme weather conditions which may damage or displace
instruments.
5. Use of faulty instruments.
6. Human error.
7. Poor sitting of instruments.
 Factors influencing temperature
1. Altitude
-Height above sea level.
-Temperature decreases with increase in height due to air at higher
altitude being thinner and hence there is less particles e.g. gases,
dust, smoke and water vapor to store heat so its rapidly lost to the
outer space.
2. Latitude -Distance from the equator. Temperature decreases with increase in
latitude
3. Aspect -Direction of slope. At higher latitudes slopes facing the equator
have higher temperature because they face the sun while those facing the poles
have lower temperature have lower temperature because they face away from
the sun.
4. Winds -Transfer heat from one place to another. When they blow from cool
areas they take the cooling effect to the areas they blow over and when they
blow from warm areas they take warming influence to the places they blow
over.
5. Distance from a Large Water Body -Areas near a large water body
experience lower temperature during the hot season and higher temperature
during the cool season due to sea breezes, warm and cold ocean currents and
wind blowing over water which could be either warmer or cooler than the
adjacent land.
6. Cloud Cover -Clouds reduce the amount of solar energy reaching the surface by
absorbing, scattering and reflecting solar radiation. When there are clear skies during
the day the temperature is higher due to the earth receiving maximum solar insolation.
-During clear nights there are very low temperatures due to a lot of terrestrial radiation
being lost to the outer space.
-Cloudy nights on the other hand are warmer due to clouds radiating to the earth heat
absorbed during the day.
7. Length of Day-The longer the period of solar insolation the greater the quantity of
radiation a place receives and hence the more the heat that will be generated by the
earth and vice versa.
8. Solar Altitude -At equinox when the earth is farthest from the sun the temperature on
the earth is lower due to less solar radiation reaching the earth’s surface due to
travelling a longer distance and hence facing great interference from atmospheric
conditions. At solstices the earth receives more solar energy due to travelling a shorter
distance and hence facing less interference from atmospheric conditions.
9. Solar Input- Sometimes the sun gives out more heat due to
reactions being violent causing temperature on the earth to be
higher. When it gives out less heat the temperature on the earth is
lower.
10. Surface Conditions -Light surfaces e.g. smooth surfaces reflect
sunlight and hence less solar energy reaches the earth’s surface.
Dark and irregular surfaces such as with vegetation absorb more
heat leading to higher surface temperatures.
Factors Influencing Humidity
1. Temperature -Places with high temperature experience high humidity due
to high evaporation and air having high capacity to hold moisture.
-Places with low temperature have low humidity due to low evaporation and
air having low capacity to hold moisture.
2. Source of Moisture -Areas near water bodies e.g. Kisumu and Mombasa
experience high humidity due to evaporation of water from the water body. 
Places near thick vegetation also have high humidity due to
evapotranspiration.
-Areas far away from water bodies such as the middle of deserts have low
humidity.
-Areas receiving heavy rainfall also have high humidity.
3. Air Pressure -There is high humidity at low altitudes because
high pressure compresses air warming it increasing its capacity to
hold moisture and also causes high evaporation.
-There is low pressure at high altitudes because air expands and
cools thus reducing its capacity to hold moisture.
4. Latitude- Low latitudes experience high humidity due to high
temperatures resulting into high rates of evaporation and air having
high capacity to hold moisture.
-High latitudes experience low humidity due to low temperatures
resulting into low rates of evaporation and air having low capacity
to hold moisture.
 Significance of Humidity/Moisture
1. Affects rain formation in such as way that places with high
humidity are likely to experience higher rainfall than those with
low humidity.
2. Regulates the heat loss from the earth’s surface by absorbing
terrestrial radiation (process in which the earth gives off heat into
the atmosphere).
3. It affects sensible temperature in that the higher the humidity the
more we experience sensible temperature.
 PRECIPITATION
-The forms in which the earth’s surface receives moisture.
1. Snow -Solid precipitation formed when tiny water droplets freeze and
form ice crystals. The crystals may fuse to form flakes.
2. Sleet -Precipitation which is a mixture of rain and snow.
3. Hail Roughly spherical lumps of ice formed when super cooled cloud
droplets mold themselves around ice crystals before cooling. It destroys
crops life and house roofs.
4. Dew -Precipitation consisting of water droplets formed on cold surfaces
at night e.g. iron roofs and glass blades.
5. Rain -Precipitation consisting of water drops/droplets formed when tiny
water droplets merge around particles of matter and become heavy and
fall down to the earth.
 Condensation

 Turning of water vapor into tiny water droplets as

cooling continues below dew point. The droplets

join to form clouds.

 Causes of Condensation
1.Adiabatic cooling-cooling of moist air as it rises
vertically.
2.Orographic cooling-cooling of moist air as it climbs a
hill or mountain.
3.Frontal cooling-cooling of warm air mass when it
blows towards a cold air mass.
4.Advection cooling-cooling as a result of moist air
moving over a cool land or sea.
 How Condensation Takes Place/Cloud Formation
 Moist air rises to the condensation level (altitude where temperature is below dew
point.
 It’s cooled below dew point.
 Tiny water droplets condense around tiny particles such as dust, smoke particles and
pollen grains and salt particles (condensation nuclei).
 The droplets merge and eventually become bigger and fall as rain.
 If moisture rises to an altitude where temperature is below 0◦c the condensed water
droplets freeze forming ice particles or super cooled water (water which has remained
in a liquid state at temperatures below freezing point due to lack of sufficient
condensation nuclei.
 Super cooled cloud droplets may mould themselves around ice crystals before
freezing to form hail.
Types of rainfall

 1. Relief/Orographic/Mountain rainfall
1. Relief/Orographic/Mountain rainfall