Chapter 1 big ideas review packet Flashcards
What is an absolute area/space?
a space which can be measured. Ex: earth
What is a relative area/space?
a space which cannot be measured. Ex: outer space
Location can either be ___ or ___ .
absolute (exact) or Relative (in relation to something else).
Define Place.
A point in a space distinguished by specific physical or social characteristics.
Define scale.
The proportion between the whole earth and the size of the map being looked at.
Define Pattern.
The geometric or regular arrangement of something in an area.
give an example of a pattern.
Growing population over time/ use of a certain vegetation in an area.
Define Site.
the physical characteristics of a place, such as its topography, vegetation, climate, and water resources.
Give an example of site.
Ex: the Ohio River is part of Louisville’s site.
Define Situation.
the geographic context of a place, including its political, economic, and social characteristics.
Define Cultural Regions.
areas in which people share one or more distinct cultural traits thus creating a homogenous region.
What are the three major types of cultural regions.
Formal/Uniform region, Functional/Nodal region, and Perceptual/Vernacular region.
Define a Formal/Uniform region.
A region defined by a physical or cultural trait which unifies the area. This is data driven.
Define a functional/Nodal Region.
A region that is unified by an economic, political, or social service.
Define a Perceptual/Vernacular Region.
Region based on stereotypes or people’s opinions, based on people’s sense of identity.
Define distance decay.
Principle that states the farther one gets from the hearth, the less frequent things become due to less interaction.
What is friction of distance?
a concept that describes distance decay which means that distance slows something down and requires more money and energy to overcome.
What is environmental determinism?
The Ancient Greeks hypothesized that people’s behaviors and physiological condition is a repercussion of their location and the climate of the area. Climate extremes influence human’s mental capability.
What was some of the criticism with environmental theory from early 20th century?
- too much of a cause-effect relationship and overly simplistic. 2. “Similar natural setting don’t produce same cultural practices and human behavior.” 3. this model could create stereotypes of other cultures.
Define possibilism.
humans use their creativity to adjust and overcome the constraints of their environment to accommodate for their own needs.
Which is more widely accepted, possibilism or environmental determinism?
Possibilism.
What are the two main types of maps?
Reference maps and Thematic maps.
What is a reference map?
A reference map shows features related to location which can be natural or man-made.
What is a Thematic Map?
Maps base on a particular characteristic or theme. different types of thematic maps are better suited to represent some data than others, depending on the data and the objective.
What are the types of thematic maps?
Cartogram, Choropleth, Dot, Graduated Symbol, and Isoline.
what is a cartogram map?
A map that distorts land area based on some variable, such as population.
What is a choropleth map?
a map that uses shading to show values.
What is a Dot map?
A map that uses dots of the same size to represent a particular quantity; useful to show concentrations.
What is a graduated symbol map?
A map that uses the same symbol, but different sizes of that symbol to represent a phenomenon.
What is an Isoline map?
A map that uses lines to connect areas of similar value, often used with climate.
Which map projections are perfect and do not distort any certain properties.
none.
What are the four features that can be distorted on a map?
shape, area, distance, and direction.
What are the four types of map projections?
Robinson, Mercator, Polar, and Peter.
Explain the uses, distortion, and ways to identify a Robinson Map.
uses- just a compromise. Distortion - distorts a little bit of everything. Ways to identify - round sides and flat bottom and top.
Explain the uses, distortion, and ways to identify a Mercator map.
uses- used by ships for navigation. distortion- size and shape especially at the poles. ways to identify- Greenland looks about the same size as Africa.
Explain the uses, distortion, and ways to identify a Polar map.
uses- used for airline companies to discover cheapest route across oceans. Distortion- size and shape especially at the poles. Ways to identify- it is completely round and the image is from above looking down.
Explain the uses, distortion, and ways to identify a Peter Map.
uses- preserves area to accurately display the actual land mass especially in “third world” countries, that were mapped biasedly earlier. distortion- shape of countries especially near the equator. Ways to identify- Africa and South America are longer and Europe is more compact.
What is remote sensing?
uses technology to get information on objects far away. Ex. google earth.
What are early uses of remote sensing?
observing weather and environmentally related things.
What is GPS?
a type of remote sensing that uses artificial satellites, radio signals, and a receiver to track things.
What does GPS help with?
gathering data, confirming boundaries, and keeping track of plants and animals (also used in precision farming).
What is online mapping?
maps that use the internet and can be accessed online. GIS and GPS are both examples.
What are 3 major criticisms with GIS?
- have to have necessary hardware and software (expensive to get) 2. reinforces power of those who can get it over those who cannot. 3. promotes detached Western view of never going to place being visited.
