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AP Human Geography > Chapter 1 vocabulary > Flashcards

Chapter 1 vocabulary Flashcards

1
Q

geography

A

the study of where things are found on Earth’s surface and the reasons for the locations

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2
Q

map

A

a two-dimensional, or flat, representation of Earth’s surface or a portion of it

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3
Q

cartography

A

the science of map making

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4
Q

model

A

a simplified abstraction of reality, structured to clarify casual relationships; used by geographers to explain patterns, make informed decisions, and/or predict future behaviors

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5
Q

map scale

A

the relationship between the size of an object on a map and the size of the actual feature on Earth’s surface

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6
Q

projection

A

a system used to transfer locations from Earth’s surface to a flat map

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7
Q

Robinson Projection

A

useful for displaying information across the ocean

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8
Q

Mercator Projection

A

used to show directions to any location

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9
Q

distortion

A

misrepresentation of the area, size, and/or shape of a place on earth (typically land masses) resulting in the attempt to represent the round world/globe on a flat map

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10
Q

meridian

A

an arc drawn on a map between the North and South poles

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11
Q

longitude

A

the numbering system used to indicate the location of meridians drawn on a globe and measuring distance east to west of the prime meridian

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12
Q

prime meridian

A

the meridian, designated as 0 degrees longitude, that passes through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England

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13
Q

parallel

A

a circle drawn around the globe parallel to the equator and at right angles to the meridians

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14
Q

latitude

A

the numbering system used to indicate the location of parallels drawn on a globe and measuring distance north and south of the equator

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15
Q

equator

A

imaginary circle (line) that lies exactly halfway between North/South at 0 degrees latitude

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16
Q

absolute location

A

use of a coordinate system to have precise plotting for a location on Earth’s surface; can include the idea of formalized addresses

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17
Q

relative location

A

description of a place’s location based upon its locational relationship to other human and/or physical features

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18
Q

time zones

A

an area with an established standard time

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19
Q

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)

A

the time in the zone encompassing the prime meridian, or 0 degrees longitude

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20
Q

international date line

A

an arc that for the most part follows 180 degrees longitude, although it deviates in several places to avoid dividing land areas

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21
Q

geographic information science

A

the development and analysis of data about Earth acquired through satellite and other electronic information technologies

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22
Q

remote sensing

A

the acquisition of data about Earth’s surface from a satellite orbiting the planet or from other long-distance methods

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23
Q

global positioning systems (GPS)

A

a system that determines the precise position of something on Earth through a series of satellites, tracking stations, and receivers

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24
Q

global information systems (GIS)

A

a computer system that stores, organizes, analyzes, and displays geographic data

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25
Q

mashup

A

a map that overlays data from one source on top of a map provided by a mapping service

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26
Q

place

A

a specific point on Earth, distinguished by a particular characteristic

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27
Q

location

A

the position of anything on Earth’s surface

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28
Q

toponym

A

the name given to a portion of Earth’s surface

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29
Q

site

A

the physical character of a place

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30
Q

situation

A

the location of a place relative to another place

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31
Q

region

A

an area distinguished by a unique combination of trends or features

32
Q

cultural landscape

A

an approach to geography that emphasizes the relationships among social and physical phenomena in a particular study area

33
Q

regional studies (aka cultural landscape approach)

A

the relationship between social and physical elements in a distinguished area

34
Q

sequent occupance

A

idea proposed in 1929 by Derwent Whittlesey referring to sequential imprints of cultural occupants whose impacts are layered one on top of the other, each layer has some impact on the next

35
Q

formal region (aka uniform or homogenous)

A

an area in which everyone shares in common one or more distinctive characteristics

36
Q

functional region (aka nodal)

A

an area organized around a node or focal point

37
Q

vernacular region (aka perceptual)

A

an area that people believe exists as part of their cultural identity

38
Q

mental map

A

a representation of a portion of Earth’s surface based on what an individual knows about a place that contains personal impressions of what is in the place and where the place is located

39
Q

culture

A

the body of customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits that together constitute a group’s distinct tradition

40
Q

scale

A

generally, the relationship between the portion of Earth being studied and earth as a whole

41
Q

globalization

A

actions or processes that involve the entire world and result in making something worldwide in scope

42
Q

transnational corporation

A

a company that conducts research, operates factories, and sells products in many countries, not just where its headquarters or shareholders are located

43
Q

space

A

the physical gap or interval between two objects

44
Q

distribution

A

the arrangement of something across Earth’s surface

45
Q

density

A

the frequency with which something exists within a given unit or area

46
Q

concentration

A

the spread of something over a given area

47
Q

clustered (aka agglomerated)

A

the features are close together

48
Q

dispersed (aka scattered)

A

the features are far apart from each other

49
Q

pattern

A

the geometric or regular arrangement of something in a particular area

50
Q

connection

A

the relationships among people and objects across the barrier of space

51
Q

hearth

A

the region from which innovative ideas originate

52
Q

diffusion

A

the process of spread of a feature or trend from one place to another over time

53
Q

relocation diffusion

A

the spread of a feature or trend through bodily movement of people from one place to another

54
Q

expansion diffusion

A

the spread of a feature or trend among people from one area to another in an additive process

55
Q

hierarchical diffusion

A

the spread of a feature or trend from one key person or node of authority or power to other persons or places

56
Q

contagious diffusion

A

the rapid, widespread diffusion of a feature or trend throughout a population

57
Q

stimulus diffusion

A

the spread of an underlying principle even though a specific characteristic is rejected

58
Q

distance decay

A

the diminished importance and eventual disappearance of a phenomenon with increasing distance from its origin

59
Q

space-time compression

A

the reduction in the time it takes to diffuse something to a distant place as a result of improved communications and transportation systems

60
Q

network

A

a chain of communication that connects places

61
Q

core countries (aka developed)

A

wealthiest and most developed countries, sites where we can find higher levels of education, higher salaries, and more technology which collectively enhance pace of wealth accumulation

62
Q

periphery countries (aka developing)

A

poorest and less/ least developed countries, sites where we can find lower levels of education, lower salaries, and less technology which collectively limited pace of wealth accumulation

63
Q

uneven development

A

the increasing gap in economic conditions between core and peripheral regions as a result of the globalization of the economy

64
Q

resource

A

a substance in the environment that is useful to people, is economically and technologically feasible to access, and is socially acceptable to use

65
Q

renewable resource

A

something produced in nature more rapidly than it is consumed by humans

66
Q

nonrenewable resource

A

something produced in nature more slowly than it is consumed by humans

67
Q

sustainability

A

the use of Earth’s renewable and nonrenewable natural resources in ways that do not constrain resource use in the future

68
Q

conservation

A

the sustainable management of a natural resource

69
Q

preservation

A

the maintenance of resources in their present condition, which has little human impact as possible

70
Q

climate

A

the long-term average weather condition at a particular location

71
Q

ecosystem

A

a group of living organisms and the abiotic spheres with which they interact

72
Q

ecology

A

the scientific study of ecosystems

73
Q

cultural ecology

A

a geographic approach that emphasizes human-environment relationships

74
Q

environmental determinism

A

a nineteen and early twentieth century approach to the study of geography which argued that the general law sought by human geographer could be found in the physical sciences.

75
Q

possibilism

A

the theory that the physical environment may set limits on human actions, but people have the ability to adjust to the physical environment and choose an course of action from many alternatives

AP Human Geography (5 decks)

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