Unit 1 vocab COPY Flashcards
absolute direction*
A compass direction such as north or south
*Absolute distance
The distance that can be measured with a standard unit of length, such as a mile or kilometer
*Absolute location
The exact position of a place on the Earth’s surface described by coordinates such as latitude and longitude
*Census
An official count or survey of a population, typically recording various details of individuals
*Clustered
A term used to describe a distribution of data points that are close together
Data*
Facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis
*Dispersed
A term used to describe a distribution of data points that are spread out
*Distortion
The alteration of the original shape, size, or position of a feature on a map
*Distance Decay
The diminishing in importance and eventual disappearance of a phenomenon with increasing distance from its origin
*Elevation
The height above a given level, especially sea level
*Environmental determinism
The view that the natural environment has a controlling influence over various aspects of human life, including cultural development
*Formal region
An area in which everyone shares in one or more distinctive characteristics
*Functional region
An area organized around a node or focal point
*Geographic information system (GIS)
A computer system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present spatial or geographic data.
*Geospatial
Relating to or denoting data that is associated with a particular location
*Global positioning system (GPS)
A satellite-based navigation system that allows users to determine their position anywhere on Earth
*Map projections
A systematic rendering on a flat surface of the geographic coordinates of the features found on Earth’s surface
*Perceptual region
A region that only exists as a conceptualization or an idea and not as a physically demarcated entity.
*Place
A specific point on Earth distinguished by a particular characteristic.
Possibilism*
The theory that the physical environment may set limits on human actions, but people have the ability to adjust to the physical environment and choose a course of action from many alternatives
Reference maps*
Maps that show the location of geographic areas for which detailed mapping exists
Region*
An area distinguished by a unique combination of trends or features
Relative direction*
Directions such as left, right, forward, backward, up, and down based on people’s perception of places
Relative distance*
A measure of the social, cultural, and economic relatedness or connectivity between two places
Relative location*
The regional position or situation of a place relative to the position of other places
Remote sensing*
The scanning of the Earth by satellite or high-flying aircraft to obtain information about earth
Scale of analysis*
The level of geographical analysis, from global to local
Site
The physical character of a place
Situation
The location of a place relative to other places and human activities
Spatial*
Relating to space and the effective use of space
Thematic map*
A type of map that displays one or more variables—such as population, income, or climate—within a specific area
Time-space compression*
The increasing sense of connectivity that seems to be bringing people closer together even though their distances are the same
Time zones
A region of the globe that observes a uniform standard time for legal, commercial, and social purposes
