APHG Unit 1 Vocab

Physical Geography

the study of natural processes and the distribution of features in the environment, such as landforms, plants, animals, soil, and climate

Scale

the area of the world being studied

Physical Geography

the study of natural processes and the distribution of features in the environment, such as landforms, plants, animals, soil, and climate

Scale

the area of the world being studied

Human Geography

the study of the processes that have shaped how humans understand, use, and alter Earth

Region

an area of Earth's surface with certain characteristics that make it cohesive yet distinct from other areas

Ecological Perspective

the relationships between living things and their environments

Spatial Perspective

geographic perspective that focuses on how people live on Earth, how they organize themselves, and why the events of human societies occur where they do

Location

the position that a point or object occupies on Earth

Geographic Information Systems

a computer system that allows for the collection, organization, and display of geographic data for analysis

Place

a location on Earth that is distinguished by its physical and human characteristics

Global Positioning System

a network of satellites that orbit Earth and transmit location data to receivers, enabling users to pinpoint their exact location

Site

a place's absolute location, as well as its physical characteristics, such as the landforms, climate, and resources

Remote Sensing

collecting or analyzing data from a location without making physical contact

Situation

location of a place in relation to other places or its surrounding features

Topography

the representation of Earth's surface to show natural and human-made features, especially their relative positions and elevations

Cartographer

a person who creates maps

Mental Map

internalized representations of portions of Earth's surface

Environmental Determinism

the idea that human behavior is strongly affected, controlled, or determined by the physical environment

Distance Decay

a principle stating that the farther away one thing is from another, the less interaction the two things will have

Possibilism

theory of human-environment interaction that states that humans have the ability to adapt the physical environment to their needs

Time Space Compression

a key geographic principle that describes the ways in which modern transportation and communication technology have allowed humans to travel and communicate over long distances more quickly and easily

Sustainability

the use of Earth's land and natural resources in ways that ensure they will continue to be available in the future

Sustainable Development

development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Globalization

the expansion of economic, cultural, and political processes on a worldwide scale

Cultural Hearth

an area where cultural traits develop and from which cultural traits diffuse

Cultural Landscape

a natural landscape that has been modified by humans, reflecting their cultural beliefs and values

Cultural Trait

a shared object or cultural practice

Pattern

the way in which things are arranged in a particular space

Expansion Diffusion

the spread of a cultural trait outward from where it originated

Contagious Diffusion

the process by which an idea or cultural trait spreads rapidly among people of all social classes and levels of power

Hierarchical Diffusion

the spread of a feature or trend from one key person or node of authority or power to other persons or places

Sequent of Occupance

the notion that successive societies leave behind their cultural imprint, a collection of evidence about human character and experiences within a geographic region, which shapes the cultural landscape

Relocation Diffusion

the spread of culture traits through the movement of people

Stimulus Diffusion

the process by which a cultural trait or idea spreads to another culture or region but is modified to adapt to the new culture

Diffusion

the process by which a cultural trait spreads from one place to another over time

Sense of Place

the subjective feelings and memories people associate with a geographic location