unit 1 vocab

Question 1

map

Answer 1

A two-dimensional or flat-scale model of Earth’s surface, or a portion of it.

Question 2

scale

Answer 2

The relationship between the portion of Earth being studied and Earth as a whole.

Question 3

remote sensing

Answer 3

The acquisition of data about Earth’s surface from a satellite orbiting Earth or from another long distant method.

Question 4

toponym

Answer 4

Toponym is “the name that is given to a place on Earth”.

Question 5

site

Answer 5

physical character of a place.

Question 6

site characteristics

Answer 6

Some site characteristics include climate, water sources, topography, soil, vegetation, latitude, and elevation.

Question 7

situation

Answer 7

Situation is the location of a place relative to other places.

Question 8

region

Answer 8

an area of earth defined by one or more distinctive characteristics

Question 9

formal/uniform region

Answer 9

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

Question 10

functional/nodal region

Answer 10

An area organized around a node or focal point.

Question 11

vernacular/perceptual region

Answer 11

An area that people believe exists as part of their cultural identity.

Question 12

culture

Answer 12

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

Question 13

globalization

Answer 13

A force or process that involves the entire world and results in making something worldwide in scope.

Question 14

communications revolution

Answer 14

The communion revolution played a role in globalization by allowing people to spread ideas, opinions, and cultures.

Question 15

space

Answer 15

the physical gap or interval between two objects

Question 16

distribution

Answer 16

the arrangement of a feature in space

Question 17

density

Answer 17

The frequency with which something occurs in space.

Question 18

hearth

Answer 18

A place from which an innovation originates. For example, Hip-hop originated in urban areas.

Question 19

relocation diffusion

Answer 19

The spread of an idea through the physical movement of people from one place to another. An example could be language.

Question 20

hierarchical diffusion

Answer 20

The spread of an idea from persons or nodes of authority or power to other persons or places. For example, the spread of ideas from political leaders/important people to others in a community.

Question 21

contagious diffusion

Answer 21

The rapid widespread diffusion of a characteristic throughout the population. As it says in its name, this is the diffusion of contagious diseases.

Question 22

stimulus diffusion

Answer 22

The spread of an underlying principle even though a characteristic itself apparently fails to diffuse. An example could be innovation features on an iPhone have been adopted by other competitors.

Question 23

expansion diffusion

Answer 23

The spread of a feature from one place to another in an additive process.

Question 24

distance decay

Answer 24

Distance decay is when contact diminishes with increasing distance and eventually disappears.

Question 25

space-time compression

Answer 25

The reduction in the time it takes for something to reach another place.

Question 26

sustainability

Answer 26

The use of Earth’s resources in ways that ensure their availability in the future.

Question 27

preservation

Answer 27

The maintenance of resources in their present condition, with as little human impact as possible

Question 28

conservation

Answer 28

The sustainable use and management of Earth’s natural resources to meet human need such as food, medicine, and recreation.

Question 29

cultural ecology

Answer 29

Cultural ecology is the geographic study of human-environment relationships.

Question 30

environmental determinism

Answer 30

Environment determinism is an approach that encourages human geographers to apply laws from the natural sciences to better understand relationships between the physical environment and human actions.

Question 31

possibilism

Answer 31

Possibilism states that the physical environment may limit some human actions, however people have the ability to adjust to their environment.