APHUG Unit 1 Vocab

Absolute Distance

A distance that can be measured with a standard unit of length, such as mile or kilometer.

Absolute Location

The exact position of an object or place, measured within the spatial coordinates of a grid system.

Accessibility

The relative ease with which a destination may be reached from some other place.

Aggregation

To come together into a mass, sum, or whole.

Azimuthal Projection

A map projection in which the plane is the most developable surface.

Breaking Point

The outer edge of a city's sphere of influence, used in the law of retail gravitation to describe the area of a city's hinterlands that depend on that city for its retail sales.

Cartograms

A type of thematic map that transforms space such that the political unit with the greatest value for some type of data is represented by the largest relative area.

Cartography

The theory and practice of making visual representations of Earth's surface in the form of maps.

Choropleth Map

A thematic map that uses tones or colors to represent spatial data as average values per unit area.

Cognitive Map

An image of a portion of Earth's surface that an individual creates in his or her mind.

Complementarity

The actual or potential relationship between two places, usually referring to economic interactions.

Connectivity

The degree of economic, social, cultural, or political connection between two places.

Contagious Diffusion

The spread of a disease, an innovation, or cultural traits through direct contact with another person or place.

Coordinate System

A standard grid, composed of lines of latitude and longitude, used to determine the absolute location of any object, place, or feature on Earth's surface.

Cultural Ecology

Study of the interactions between societies and the natural environments in which they live.

Cultural Landscape

The human-modified natural landscape specifically containing the imprint of a particular culture or society.

Distance Decay Effect

The decrease in interaction between two phenomena, places, or people as the distance between them increases.

Dot Maps

Thematic maps that use points to show the precise locations of specific observations or occurrences.

Environmental Geography

The intersection between human and physical geography that explores the spatial impacts humans have on the physical environment.

Expansion Diffusion

The spread of ideas, innovations, fashion, or other phenomena to surrounding areas through contact and exchange.

Formal Region

Regions defined based on common themes such as similarities in language, climate, or land use.

Friction of Distance

A measure of how much absolute distance affects the interaction between two places.

Fuller Projection

A type of map projection that maintains accurate size and shape of landmasses but rearranges direction.

Functional Region

Regions based on common interaction or function, such as circulation of a particular newspaper.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

A set of computer tools used to capture, store, transform, analyze, and display geographic data.

Geographic Scale

The scale at which a geographer analyzes a particular phenomenon.

Global Positioning System (GPS)

A set of satellites used to help determine location anywhere on Earth's surface.

Gravity Model

A mathematical formula that describes the level of interaction between two places based on size and distance.

Hierarchical Diffusion

A type of diffusion where something is transmitted between places due to a physical or cultural community.

Human Geography

The study of spatial variation in patterns and processes related to human activity.

International Date Line

The line of longitude where each new day begins, centered on the 180th meridian.

Intervening Opportunity

The closest supplier to a buyer blocks the third supplier from being able to share goods.

Isoline

A map line that connects points of equal or very similar values.

Large Scale

A relatively small ratio between map units and ground units, covering smaller regions.

Latitude

The angular distance north or south of the equator, defined by lines of latitude.

Law of Retail Gravitation

A law stating that people are drawn to larger cities due to their wider influence.

Location Chart

A chart or graph on a map providing specific statistical information about a political unit.

Longitude

The angular distance east or west of the prime meridian, defined by lines of longitude.

Map Projection

A mathematical method that transfers a sphere's surface onto a flat surface.

Map Scale

The ratio between the size of an area on a map and the actual size of that area on Earth's surface.

Mercator Projection

A true conformal cylindrical map projection useful for navigation, distorting area at the poles.

Meridian

A line of longitude that runs north-south, intersecting at the poles.

Natural Landscape

The physical landscape or environment not affected by human activity.

Nature-Society

The study of interactions between societies and their natural environments.

Parallel

An east-west line of latitude that runs parallel to the equator.

W. D. Pattison

Geographer who claimed geography drew from four distinct traditions.

Perceptual Region

An individualized definition of regions based on perceived commonalities.

Peters Projection

An equal-area projection centered on Africa to treat all regions equally.

Physical Geography

The realm of geography studying natural phenomena of Earth's surface.

Preference Map

A map that displays individual preferences for certain places.

Prime Meridian

An imaginary line marking the 0° line of longitude through Greenwich, England.

Projection

The system used to transfer locations from Earth’s surface to a flat map.

Proportional Symbols Map

A thematic map where the size of a symbol indicates statistical values.

Ptolemy

Roman geographer-astronomer who authored 'Guide to Geography'.

Qualitative Data

Data associated with humanistic geography, such as interviews and observations.

Quantitative Data

Data linked to mathematical models and statistical techniques for spatial analysis.

Reference Map

A map type showing reference information for a particular place.

Region

A territory that encompasses many places sharing similar physical and/or cultural attributes.

Regional Geography

The study of geographic regions.

Relative Distance

A measure of distance including the costs of overcoming absolute distance.

Relative Location

The position of a place relative to other places around it.

Relocation Diffusion

The diffusion of ideas or innovations through migration.

Remote Sensing

The observation and measurement of Earth’s surface using aircraft and satellites.

Resolution

A map's smallest discernable unit.

Robinson Projection

A projection minimizing errors in area, shape, distance, or direction.

Carl Sauer

Geographer who defined cultural landscape as the fundamental unit of analysis.

Scale of Analysis

The geographic unit at which one investigates various patterns or processes.

Sense of Place

Feelings evoked by experiences and memories associated with a particular place.

Site

The absolute location of a place, described by local relief and characteristics.

Situation

The relative location of a place in relation to its surrounding area.

Small Scale

A map scale ratio depicting large areas.

Spatial Diffusion

The ways phenomena travel over space.

Spatial Perspective

An intellectual framework focused on the locations of phenomena.

Sustainability

Using Earth’s resources to meet present needs without compromising future generations.

Thematic Layers

Maps of specific features overlaid in a GIS to analyze spatial relationships.

Thematic Map

A map displaying one or more variables within a specific area.

Time-Space Convergence

The idea that distance is shrinking due to technology enabling faster interaction.

Topographic Maps

Maps using isolines to represent constant elevations.

Transferability

The costs involved in moving goods from one place to another.

Visualization

The use of software to create dynamic computer maps.