Summer Course - Unit 1

Question 1

Spatial Approach/Perspective

Answer 1

Considers the arrangments of phenomena (a fact/situation) being studied across the earth’s surface; how and why that phenomenon is where it is, how it is spatially related to phenomena in other places

ex. location, direction, orientation, pattern, interconnection

Question 2

Geography

Answer 2

Study of where things are found on Earth’s surface and the reasons fro the location

Question 3

Physical Geography

Answer 3

Spatial analysis of the structure, processes, and location of the Earth’s natural phenomena (a fact/situation).
ex. climate, soil, plants, animals, topography

Question 4

Human Geography

Answer 4

The impact of geography on humans and the impact of humans on geography.

• Study of where and why human activities are located where they are. Ex. Religions, businesses, cities
• Systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth’s surface.

Question 5

Cartography

Answer 5

The science of practice of drawing maps.

Question 6

Map Scale

Answer 6

Relationship of a feature’s size on a map to its actual size on Earth.

Question 7

Map Projection

Answer 7

The scientific method of transferring locations on Earth’s surface to a flat map. All are distorted somehow in either shape, distance, relative size, or direction.

Question 8

Robinson Projection

Answer 8

Attempts to balance several possible projection errors. None are completely accurate but minimized error in each.

Question 9

Mercator Projection

Answer 9

A cylindrical map, useful for navigation because it maintains accurate direction, distorts area so big land masses towards poles.

Question 10

Azimuthal Projection

Answer 10

All points on the map are at proportionately correct distances from the center point and all points are in the correct direction

Question 11

Gall-Peters Projection

Answer 11

Equal area map projection which centers Africa in an attempt to treat all regions of Earth equally.

Question 12

Dot Map

Answer 12

A map where a dot represents a particular phenomenon. More than one dot in one area means more of that phenomenon in that area.

Question 13

Thematic Map

Answer 13

A map that reflects a theme about a geographic area.

Question 14

Choropleth Map

Answer 14

Type of thematic map in which areas are shaded or patterned in proportion to data shown.

Question 15

Cartogram

Answer 15

Type of thematic map in which size of place/land change to fit theme or type of data represented.

Question 16

Isoline

Answer 16

A map line that connects points of equal or very similar values. Often used on a topographic map to show elevation.

Question 17

Mental Map

Answer 17

A person’s internal understanding of a place.

Question 18

GIS (Geographic Information System)

Answer 18

Computer system that can capture, store, analyze, and display geographic data. Each type of information can be stored in a layer.

ex. water, roads

Question 19

Remote Sensing

Answer 19

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

Question 20

GPS (Global Positioning System)

Answer 20

Accurately determines the precise position of something on Earth.

Question 21

Distribution

Answer 21

Arrangement of a feature in space. (Density, concentration, pattern).

Question 22

Density

Answer 22

The frequency with which something occurs in space.

Question 23

Concentration

Answer 23

The extent of a feature’s spread over space (clustered bs. dispersed).

Question 24

Pattern

Answer 24

The geometric arrangement of objects in space.

Question 25

Absolute Location

Answer 25

The exact location on Earth. Found by using latitude and longitude.

Question 26

Relative Location

Answer 26

Location in relation to other places.

Question 27

Equator

Answer 27

The major line of latitude because it splits the Earth into North and South Hemispheres.

Question 28

Latitude Lines

Answer 28

Angular distance north or south of the equator. Drawn from East to West (horizontal) to find the absolute location.

Question 29

Longitude Lines (Meridians)

Answer 29

Angular distance east or west of the Prime Meridian. Drawn from North to South (vertical) to find the absolute location.

Question 30

Prime Meridian

Answer 30

The major line of longitude because it splits the Earth into East and West Hemispheres.

Question 31

Time-space Convergence

Answer 31

The idea states that with increasing transportation and communication technology, the absolute distance between certain places is, in effect shrinking.

Question 32

Globalization

Answer 32

Force or process that involves the entire world and results in making something worldwide in scope

Question 33

Time-distance Decay (distance decay effect)

Answer 33

The farther an idea is from the source, the less likely it is to be adopted. The decrease in interaction between two phenomena, places, or people as the distance between them increases.

Question 34

Region

Answer 34

Area of Earth distinguished by a distinctive combination of cultural and physical features.

Question 35

Cultural Landscape

Answer 35

A combination of cultural features such as language, religion, economic features such as agriculture and industry, and physical features such as climate and vegetation. All identifiable human-induced changes in the natural landscape (artificial features). The visible human imprint on the landscape.

Question 36

Formal Region

Answer 36

The area within which everyone shares in common one or more distinctive characteristics.

Question 37

Functional Region

Answer 37

Area organized around a node or focal point. Based on common interaction (or function).

Question 38

Vernacular (Perceptual) Region

Answer 38

Place that people believe exists as part of their cultural identity. Defined by how people perceive the area.

Question 39

Place

Answer 39

The specific point on Earth distinguished by a particular character.

Question 40

Site

Answer 40

The absolute location of a place described by local relief, landforms, and other physical or cultural characteristics. ex. climate, water sources, soil, vegetation

Question 41

Situation

Answer 41

Location of a place relative to other places. Location of a place in relation to the physical and cultural characteristics of the surrounding area and the connections within that system, a place's spatial context.

Question 42

Cultural Ecology

Answer 42

The geographic study of human-environment relationships.

Question 43

Environmental Determinism

Answer 43

How the physical environment caused social development (becoming less accepted)

Question 44

Possibilism

Answer 44

The physical environment may limit some human actions, but people have the ability to adjust to their environment.

Question 45

Large Scale

Answer 45

A relatively small ratio between map units and ground units. They usually have higher resolution and cover much smaller regions than small-scale maps.

Question 46

Graduated symbol map

Answer 46

A thematic map in which the size of a chosen symbol indicates the relative magnitude of some statistical value for a given geographic region.

Question 47

Qualitative data

Answer 47

Data associated with a more humanistic approach to geography, often collected through interviews, empirical observations, or the interpretation of texts, old maps, and other archives.

Question 48

Quantitative data

Answer 48

Data associated with mathematical models and statistical techniques used to analyze spatial location and association.

Question 49

Reference Map

Answer 49

A map type that shows reference information for a particular place, making it useful for finding landmarks and for navigation.

Question 50

Small scale

Answer 50

A map scale ratio in which the ratio of units on the map to units on Earth is quite small. Usually depict large areas.

Question 51

Sustainability

Answer 51

The concept of using Earth's resources in such a way that they provide for people's needs in the present without diminishing Earth's ability to provide for future generations.

Question 52

Topographic Map

Answer 52

Maps that use isolines to represent constant elevations.