thumb|300px|NASA true-color image of the Earth's surface and atmosphere
thumb|The relationship between the three branches of geography
Physical geography (also known as physiography) is one of the three main branches of geography. Physical geography is the branch of natural science which deals with the processes and patterns in the natural environment such as the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and geosphere. This focus contrasts with the branch of human geography, which focuses on the built environment, and technical geography, which focuses on the use, study, and creation of tools for obtaining, analyzing, interpreting, and understanding spatial information. is concerned with understanding the surface of the Earth and the processes by which it is shaped, both at the present as well as in the past. Geomorphology, as a field, has several sub-fields that deal with the specific landforms of various environments, e.g., desert geomorphology and fluvial geomorphology; however, these sub-fields are united by the core processes that drive them, mainly tectonic or climatic processes. Geomorphology seeks to understand landform history and dynamics and to predict future changes through a combination of field observation, physical experiments, and numerical modeling (Geomorphometry). Early studies in geomorphology form the foundation of pedology, one of the two main branches of soil science.
thumb|right|100px|[[Meander formation]]
- Hydrology Pedology is the study of soils in their natural environment. It deals with pedogenesis, soil morphology, soil classification. Soil geography studies the spatial distribution of soils as it relates to topography, climate (water, air, temperature), soil life (micro-organisms, plants, animals), and mineral materials within soils (biogeochemical cycles).
- Palaeogeography