Exam 1

Question 1

Physical Geography (Natural Science)

Answer 1

studies the characteristics of the physical environment. Concentrates on topics such as climate, soil, and vegetation.

Question 2

Human Geography (Social Science)

Answer 2

studies human groups and their activities, such as language, industry, and the building of cities.

Question 3

Cultural Geography

Answer 3

study of cultural products and norms and their variations across and relations to spaces and places

Question 4

Cartography

Answer 4

study and practice of making maps

Question 5

Regional Geography

Answer 5

describes and analyzes places in terms of categories such as local population, customs, politics, economy, and religion

Question 6

Topical Geography

Answer 6

topics of universal application or occurrence. ie: geography of climate, water, vegetation, or minerals

Question 7

Formal Region

Answer 7

exhibits essential uniformity in one or more physical or cultural features, such as climate type or language area

Question 8

Functional Region

Answer 8

interactions among places, such as trade or communication

Question 9

Vernacular Region

Answer 9

widespread popular perception of their existence by people within or outside them

Question 10

Spatial Analysis

Answer 10

looks for patterns in the distribution of human actions, environmental processes, and interactions among and between places or regions

Question 11

Distribution

Answer 11

its position, placement, or arrangement throughout space

Question 12

Density

Answer 12

frequency of occurrence of a phenomenon in relation to geographic area

Question 13

Concentrations

Answer 13

distribution of a phenomenon within a given area

Question 14

Patterns

Answer 14

geometric arrangement of objects within an area

Question 15

Distance Decay

Answer 15

the presence or impact of any phenomenon may diminish away from its origin, just as the volume of a sound diminishes the further it gets from its source

Question 16

Diffusion

Answer 16

an item or feature that spreads across space

Question 17

Natural Landscape

Answer 17

without evidence of human activity

Question 18

Cultural Landscape

Answer 18

one that reveals the many ways people modify their local environment

Question 19

Geographic Grid

Answer 19

used to accurately measure the position of any place on the surface of the Earth

Question 20

Latitude

Answer 20

angular distance north or south of the equator; 0º to 90º N or S of the equator; 1º = 69 mi; 1’ (minute) = 1.2 mi; 1” (seconds) = 101 ft

Question 21

Parallels

Answer 21

lines connecting all points of the same latitude

Question 22

Longitude

Answer 22

angular distance east or west of Prime Meridian; 0º to 180º E or W

Question 23

Meridians

Answer 23

extending from pole to pole and crossing all parallels at right angles

Question 24

Prime Meridian

Answer 24

the meridian from which longitude is measured (where it starts 0º. Passes through royal observatory in Greenwich, England

Question 25

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)

Answer 25

time at 0º longitude; a clock advances one hour from GMT for each 15º traveled east; moves back an hour for 15º traveled west

Question 26

International Date Line

Answer 26

follows the 180º longitude; crossing the line towards America (E) the calendar moves back 1 day while towards Austraila (W) moves ahead 1 day

Question 27

Thematic Mapping

Answer 27

can portray physical, social, political, cultural, economic, sociological, agricultural, or any other aspects of a city, state, region, nation, or continent

Question 28

Maps

Answer 28

2D representations of some portion of Earth’s surface

Question 29

Graphic Scale

Answer 29

a quantitive statement of the relative sizes of an object on the map and in reality

Question 30

Small-scale Maps

Answer 30

maps like the world maps show a lot of land on a small page; 1:1,000,000

Question 31

Large-scale Maps

Answer 31

city street map that shows a small part of the Earth area on a large sheet of paper; 1:62,500

Question 32

Projections

Answer 32

the transferral of locations on Earth’s surface to locations on a flat map

Question 33

Conformal Maps

Answer 33

distorts size but preserve shapes

Question 34

Equal Area Maps

Answer 34

preserves size but distort shape

Question 35

GPS (Global Positioning System)

Answer 35

navigational tool originally developed by the US government for military use, but now available for civilian purposes worldwide

Question 36

GIS (Geographic Information System)

Answer 36

a special form of database software in which spatial information is an important part of the database

Question 37

Mercator Projection

Answer 37

displays correct shapes but exaggerates sizes in high-latitude areas

Question 38

Raster Data

Answer 38

type of GIS data format that uses pixels

Question 39

Vector Data

Answer 39

type of DIS data format that uses points, lines, and polygons

Question 40

Topographic Maps

Answer 40

more specialized and show elevation and terrain features, especially fixed objects such as roads, buildings, and power lines

Question 41

Map Scales

Answer 41

written statement (1in = 1mi), representative fraction (1:36,360), graphic scale (using bars)

Question 42

7.5 Minute Series

Answer 42

1:24,000 scale, 1 in = 2,000 ft, approx 6 mi x 8.5 mi, smaller area but more details

Question 43

Contour Lines

Answer 43

shows the height and steepness of land

Question 44

Contour Intervals

Answer 44

vertical distance between contour lines

Question 45

Bench Marks

Answer 45

measured and marked elevation

Question 46

Map Color Black

Answer 46

Buildings

Question 47

Map Color Red

Answer 47

fences, roads, property

Question 48

Map Color Pink

Answer 48

urban areas

Question 49

Map Color Purple

Answer 49

updates

Question 50

Map Color Brown

Answer 50

contour lines