Final answer:
Plate tectonics is a central topic in physical geography, focusing on Earth's crust and the dynamic processes shaping the planet's surface, including mountain formation, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, which influence the environment and human society.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question 'Let's Check In is an example of a physical process that a physical geographer would study' refers specifically to plate tectonics as an answer choice in context. Physical Geography is a branch of geography concerned with natural phenomena and how they influence the earth’s surface, climate, and ecosystems. In this discipline, geographers examine physical processes, such as tectonic forces, weather, erosion, and soil-building processes, which are key elements in shaping the physical environment.
Plate tectonics, particularly, is central to physical geography and geology. It is the study of Earth's crust and the dynamic processes that have shaped its surface over time, including the formation of mountains, valleys, volcanoes, and the very continents and ocean basins. Physical geographers of Earth observe the results of these processes in the lithosphere and how they impact the environment, which is also explored in cultural ecology - the study of the interaction between human practices and the natural world.
When considering the impact of plate tectonics, geographers look at evidence ranging from earthquakes to continental drift, mountain building, volcanic eruptions, and even the creation of island chains like Hawaii. These occurrences immensely influence our planet’s geography and subsequently, how human societies develop and interact with their environment. As such, plate tectonics is a fundamental topic within the field of physical geography and a core subject of study for understanding Earth's intricate systems and the distribution of biomes and other geographic features.