unit 1 Flashcards
reference maps
shows boundaries, toponym(a name given to a place or location), and geographic features
topographic map
a map that uses contour lines to display the terrain and elevation changes in an area
thematic maps
a map that displays spatial patterns of places and uses quantitative data to display specific topics
Spatial analysis
analyzing patterns and relationships within an area or geographic data (ex.: distribution of natural resources, or the movement of people and goods)
Absolute direction
the exact direction a person is heading
Relative direction
directions based on peoples surroundings and perception
Absolute distance
the exact distance between two places
Relative distance
the approximate measurement between two objects
Remote sensing
a process of collecting information about the earth’s surface from satellites orbiting the earth
GIS (geographic information system)
a computer system that can collect, analyze, and display geographic data; creates layered maps
GPS(global positioning system)
a network of satellites that are used to determine the location of something on the Earth’s surface
Field observations
people visit real life places and record first hand observations
Landscape/ Photo analysis
shows an area changes/ what has happened to it
Qualitative data
information in word form and is up for interpretation, debates, and discussion; collected through interviews and observations
Quantitative data
number form; concrete information; collected through a census( population of an area( involves the collection of information such as age, gender, race, occupation, and housing)
Small scape map
map that shows a large portion of the Earth’s surface but has less details in the data it is displaying
Large scale map
a map that shows less of the earth’s surface but has more detail in the data it is displaying
Census tract
a small geographic area defined by the United States Census Bureau (used to better understand data at the local level)
Businesses may use this to see where they might want to build another store
Absolute location
the exact spot on the earth’s surface where something is located using longitude and latitude
Relative location
a description of a location based on the surrounding area ( buildings around, or geographical features to describe where i’m at)
Place
a specific point on the earth’s surface that has one or more unique characteristics; physical characteristics(rivers, mountains, vegetation); human characteristics( language, religion, culture in an area)
Sense of place
a strong feeling or perception people have of a place; the more memories or uniqueness, the stronger the sense of place
Placelessness
a place that does not invoke any strong response from individuals due to a lack of unique characteristics (location lacks a unique identity)
Spatial association
the relationships between between different objects in an area (looks at how objects are arranged, connected, and possibly isolated in a place)
spatial distribution
density (the amounts of objects/ people in an area), concentration (how things are spread out; clustered or dispersed), patterns ( the arrangement of things in an area)
flow
the movement of people, goods, or services from one place to another
Time-space compression
the reduction of time it takes for something or someone to get from one place to another; counters distance decay
In order to truly understand an area…
you need to understand the connection it has with other places
Distance decay
the effort of distance on cultural or spatial interactions; the larger the distance the less interaction
Environmental determinism
the environment sets the possibilities for humans and society
Environment determines society
Environmental possibilism
the idea that the environment puts limits on society, but people have the ability to adjust/modify the physical environment to overcome those limits
Environment and culture both influence each other
We see that society impacts the environment
and the environment impacts society
Land use
a term that is used to describe how land has been changed or modified to be used for a specific purpose or task
By understanding a societies land use patterns…
we learn what industries they prioritize, what cultural values they have, and how society designates their land to different wants and needs of their people
Natural resources
resources that are produced in nature; consists of renewable resources
Renewable resources
natural resources that can be used multiple times without running out
Non- renewable resources
natural resources that can only be used once; such as oil, natural gas; once used, it’s gone
Sustainability
the use of the earth’s resources in a way that ensures those resources will still be available in the future
Scale
the relationship of a distance on a map to the corresponding distance on the ground; global, national, regional, and local scales
Scale of analysis
observation of data at the global, national, regional, and/or local scales
Region
a geographic area with common characteristics and/or patterns of activity
Formal regions
“uniform regions”; have common attributes, defined by economic, political, social or environmental characteristics(rocky mountains for a boundary)
Functional regions
“nodal regions”; geographic areas that are organized around a node (center point; often is based around a specific economic activity, travel, or communications; airports, radio stations, power plants or subway stations)
Perceptual/vernacular regions
geographic areas that are linked together due to people’s opinions, attitudes, feelings, or beliefs on the region; exist in people’s minds/ do not have a specific definition; differs based on who you talk to as it is based on what the person thinks; if it is based on cardinal direction it is most likely a perceptual region (ex.: the “south”, the middle east)
