Unit 1 vocab

Geographic Information System (GIS)

A system that captures, stores, queries, and displays geographic data.

Photogrammetry

The practice of taking measurements of the Earth's surface from photographs.

Remote Sensing

Data transfer from long-distance methods, such as satellites.

Global Positioning System (GPS)

A system used to determine the precise position of something on Earth.

Geotagging

The process of identifying and storing information based on latitude and longitude coordinates.

Mashup

A map that integrates data from various sources.

Map

A two-dimensional flat scale model of the Earth's surface used for reference or communication.

Cartography

The science of making maps.

Cartographer

A person who creates maps.

Map Scale

The size of the map affecting detail and area coverage.

Projection

The method of transferring locations on the Earth's surface to a flat map.

Robinson Projection

A map that distorts direction but minimizes distortion overall.

Mercator Projection

A map that preserves direction but distorts size, especially near the poles.

Homolosine Projection

A map that distorts distance and shape while maintaining proportional sizes of continents.

Gall-Peters Projection

A map that preserves relative size but distorts shape.

Winkel Projection

A map that minimizes distortions of shapes and sizes.

Geographic Grid

A system of imaginary arcs drawn in a grid pattern on the Earth's surface.

Absolute Location

The exact position of a place that does not change.

Choropleth Map

A map where areas are shaded or patterned based on variable measurements.

Graduated Symbol Map

A map that uses symbols scaled proportionally to represent data.

Cartogram Map

A map where the size of areas represents the quantity of a variable.

Dot Distribution Map

A map using points or symbols to represent quantity or value.

Isoline Map

A map that connects points with similar values using lines.

Place

A specific point on the Earth's surface defined by its characteristics.

Location

The position of something on the Earth's surface.

Toponym

The name given to a specific place on Earth.

Site

The physical characteristics of a specific area on Earth.

Situation

The location of a place relative to other places.

Relative Location

The position of a place in relation to other locations.

Region

An area defined by cultural and/or physical characteristics.

Formal/Uniform Region

An area where everyone shares one or more common characteristics.

Functional/Nodal Region

An area characterized by the presence of a certain function or service.

Vernacular/Perceptual Region

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

Cultural Landscape

The combined effect of cultural, economic, and physical features of an area.

Spatial Association

A correlation between the distribution of different features within a region.

Scale

The relationship between a part of the Earth and the whole.

Globalization

The process that makes businesses or other organizations operate on an international scale.

Transnational Corporation

A company that operates in multiple countries beyond where its headquarters are located.

Space

The physical gap or interval between two objects.

Distribution

The arrangement of a feature across space.

Density

The frequency of occurrence of something within a given area.

Concentration

The extent to which a feature is spread out or clustered over space.

Pattern

The geometric arrangement of objects in a given space.

Uneven Development

The growing disparity in economic conditions between different regions.

Diffusion

The process by which a feature spreads from one place to another over time.

Hearth

The origin point of an innovation or idea.

Relocation Diffusion

The spread of a feature through the movement of people.

Expansion Diffusion

The spread of a feature in an additive manner.

Hierarchical Diffusion

The spread of ideas from authorities to other people or places.

Contagious Diffusion

The rapid spread of a characteristic throughout the population.

Stimulus Diffusion

The spread of an underlying principle even when the specific characteristic fails to diffuse.

Distance Decay

The principle that further away places are less likely to interact.

Space-Time Compression

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

Assimilation

The process by which a group's cultural features are altered.

Acculturation

The cultural changes that occur when two groups meet.

Syncretism

The blending of cultural elements from different groups to form new characteristics.

Resource

A substance that is useful in an economic context that can be accessed and utilized.

Renewable Resource

A resource that can be replenished naturally.

Non-renewable Resource

A resource that is consumed faster than it is replenished.

Cultural Ecology

The study of the interaction between humans and their environment.

Environmental Determinism

The theory that the physical environment shapes human social development.

Possibilism

The idea that the physical environment can limit human actions.

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)

The time standard that serves as a reference point for time around the world.

Polder

Land created by draining water from an area.

Relative Distance

The measurement of distance between two places based on travel time and ease.