AP Human Geo - All Vocab Chapters 1 & 2 Flashcards
Physical Geography
the study of spatial characteristics of various elements of the physical environment
Human geography
the study of the spatial characteristics of humans and human activities
reference maps
designed for people to refer to for general information about places (Political maps, Physical maps, Road maps, Plat maps)
thematic maps
show spatial aspects of information or of a phenomenon
choropleth map
A thematic map that uses various colors, shades of one color, or patterns to show the location and distribution of spatial data.
dot distribution map
A thematic map where dots are used to show the specific location and distribution of something across a map
graduated symbol map
A thematic map that uses symbols of different sizes to indicate different amounts of something
isoline maps
Also called isometric maps, use lines that connect points of equal value to depict variations in the data across space
topographic map
Points of equal elevation are connected on these maps, creating contours that depict surface features (most common type of isoline map)
cartogram
the sizes of countries (or states, counties, or another areal unit) are shown according to some specific statistic
cartographic scale
refers to the way the map communicates the ratio of its size to the size of what it represents (words, ratios, lines, or scales)
small-scale maps
show a larger amount of area with less detail
absolute location
the precise spot where something is according to a system
relative location
description of where something is in relation to other things
field observations
the act of physically visiting a location, place, or region and recording, firsthand, information there
remote sensing
gathers information from satellites that orbit the earth or other craft above the atmosphere
Global Positioning System (GPS)
GPS receivers on the earth’s surface use the locations of multiple satellites to determine and record a receiver’s exact location. Uses: locating borders precisely, navigating ships, aircraft, and cars, mapping lines (trails) or points (fire hydrants)
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
computer system that can store, analyze, and display information from multiple digital maps or geospatial data sets. Uses: (Analyzing of crime data, monitoring the effects of pollution, analyzing transportation.travel time, planning urban area)
Space
the area between two or more phenomena or things
Location
identifies where specific phenomena are located either on a grid system or relative to another location
Place
refers to the specific human and physical characteristics of a location
Site
the characteristics at the immediate location
Situation
the location of a place relative to its surroundings and its connectivity to other places
Sense of Place
humans tend to perceive the characteristics of places in different ways based on their personal beliefs
Toponyms
place names, provide insights into the physical geography, the history, or the culture of the location
Time-Space Compression
the shrinking “time distance” between locations because of improved methods of transportation and communication
Friction of Distance
indicates that when things are farther apart, they tend to be less well connected
Distance Decay
the inverse relationship between distance and connection, ex: weakening of a radio signal as it travels across space away form a radio tower
Pattern
the general arrangement of things being studied, and geography must be able to describe patterns accurately and with precision
Human-environmental Interaction
the connection and exchange between humans and the natural world
Sustainability
an overarching theme of human geography and relates to trying to use resources now in ways that allow their use in the future while minimizing negative impacts on the environment
Land Use
the study of how land is utilized, modified, and organized by people
Built Environment
the physical artifacts that humans have created and that form part of the landscape
Cultural Landscape
the study of how humans adapt to the environment
Environmental Determinism
the belief that landforms and climate are the most powerful forces shaping human behavior and societal development while ignoring the influence of culture
Possibilism
a view that acknowledges limits on the effects of the natural environment and focuses more on the role that human culture plays
Global Scale
Area shown is the entire world, Ex: global Earth at night image, world population density map
World Scale
multiple countries of the world
National Scale
the whole country
Regional Scale
interactions occurring within a region
Local Scale
a province, state, city, county, or neighborhood
Region
have boundaries, unifying characteristics, cover space, and are created by people
Formal Region
untied by one or more traits: political, physical, cultural, economic
Functional Region
regions are organized around a focal point and are defined by an activity, usually political, social, or economic, that occurs across the region
Perceptual/Vernacular Region
defined by the informal sense of place that people ascribe to them
