Global Cultures (B4): Unit One-Terms and Definitions

Question 1

latitude

Answer 1

lines that circle the globe running east-west parallel to the equator

Question 2

longitutde

Answer 2

lines that run vertically north-south around the globe intersecting at the poles

Question 3

absolute location

Answer 3

references an exact point on Earth and commonly uses specific coordinates like latitude and longitude

Question 4

Cartography

Answer 4

The art and science of making maps, including data compilation, layout, and design

Question 5

concentration

Answer 5

the spread of a particular feature over space

Question 6

cultural landscapes

Answer 6

modifications to the environment by humans, including the built environment and agricultural systems, that reflect aspects of their culture

Question 7

climate change

Answer 7

global changes in temperature and the patterns of weather over an extended period of time

Question 8

daylight savings time

Answer 8

time during which clocks are set one hour ahead of local standard time

Question 9

density

Answer 9

the frequency of a particular feature within a given area

Question 10

diffusion

Answer 10

refers to the spreading of an idea, object, or feature from one place to another

Question 11

distance decay

Answer 11

the notion that the likelihood of interaction between two things decreases as their distance apart increases

Question 12

distortion

Answer 12

changes that occur in area, shape, distance, and/or direction when representing a spherical Earth on the flat surface of a map

Question 13

environmental determinism

Answer 13

the view that cultural features and societal developments are determined by environmental conditions

Question 14

equator

Answer 14

an imaginary circle around the middle of the earth, halfway between the North Pole and the South Pole

Question 15

GIS

Answer 15

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

Question 16

globalization

Answer 16

the trend toward increased cultural and economic connectedness between people, businesses, and organizations throughout the world

Question 17

Greenwich Mean Time

Answer 17

the time at Greenwich, England, through which the prime meridian (0°) passes

Question 18

GPS

Answer 18

global positioning system-group of satellites used to pin-point absolute location

Question 19

grid pattern

Answer 19

intersecting lines of longitude and latitude that determine absolute location on a map

Question 20

Hinterland

Answer 20

A German term literally meaning “the land behind”. The Hinterland is more sparsely populated than the core and is often where goods sold in the core are manufactured. It might include for ex. rural farmland.

Question 21

landscapes

Answer 21

scenery of places, including physical, human and cultural features

Question 22

location

Answer 22

The position of anything on Earth’s surface

Question 23

mercator projection

Answer 23

accurately shows shape and direction but distorts distance and size of land masses

Question 24

meridian

Answer 24

one of many lines on the global grid running from the North Pole to the South Pole; used to measure degrees of longitude

Question 25

parallel

Answer 25

any of the imaginary circles around the earth parallel to the equator, marking degrees of latitude

Question 26

peters projection

Answer 26

a cylindrical map projection that attempts to retain the accurate sizes of all the word’s landmasses

Question 27

place

Answer 27

a specific point on Earth distinguished by a particular character

Question 28

possibilism

Answer 28

the idea that the physical environment places some limits on human activity, but that people can adapt and adjust to their environment

Question 29

prime meridian

Answer 29

the meridian, designated at 0° longitude, which passes through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England

Question 30

Regionalization

Answer 30

the process by which specific regions acquire characteristics that differentiate them from others within the same country; certain economic activities may dominate in particular regions

Question 31

regions - formal

Answer 31

regions where anything and everything inside has the same characteristic or phenomena

Question 32

regions - functional regions

Answer 32

consists of one central place that effects the surrounding area

Question 33

regions - perceptual/vernacular

Answer 33

no formal boundaries / an area that people believe exists as part of their cultural identity: ex. “The South”

Question 34

robinson projection

Answer 34

Projection that attempts to balance several possible projection errors. It does not maintain a completely accurate area, shape, distance, or direction, but it minimizes errors in each

Question 35

scale

Answer 35

the ratio of the distance on a map to the corresponding distance on Earth’s surface

Question 36

site

Answer 36

the location of a settlement on Earth and its physical characteristics

Question 37

situation

Answer 37

the location of a place relative to other places and geographic features

Question 38

sustainability

Answer 38

the ability of a natural system to be productive indefinitely

Question 39

time sone

Answer 39

any of the 24 regions of the globe (loosely divided by longitude) throughout which the same standard time is used

Question 40

time-space compression

Answer 40

the idea that the relative distance between spaces has been reduced due to advances in transportation and communication technologies

Question 41

formal region

Answer 41

a region that shares at least one common characteristic, sometimes also called homogeneous regions

Question 42

Functional Region

Answer 42

a region united by a particular function, often economic, sometimes also called nodal regions