Geography, Map Projections, and Remote Sensing

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering remote sensing examples, map projection types, cardinal directions, and GIS components.

Remote Sensing

The process of detecting and monitoring physical characteristics of an area from a distance, exemplified by satellites, radar sensing, infrared sensors, drones, and sonar.

Satellites

An example of a remote sensing tool used to collect data and imagery of Earth from orbit.

Radar Sensing

A remote sensing method that uses radio waves to determine the distance, angle, or velocity of objects.

Infrared Sensors

Remote sensing devices used to detect infrared radiation emitted or reflected from Earth's surface.

Drones

Unmanned aerial vehicles utilized as platforms for remote sensing data collection.

Sonar

A remote sensing technology that uses sound propagation underwater to navigate, communicate, or detect objects, utilized in fish finders and related applications.

Gnomonic Projection

One of the most commonly used map projections that displays all great circles as straight lines.

Mercator Projection

One of the most commonly used conformal cylindrical map projections, widely used for marine navigation.

Robinson Projection

One of the most commonly used compromise map projections that shows the entire world at once with visually balanced distortion.

North

The cardinal direction that corresponds to the 12 o'clock position.

East

The cardinal direction that corresponds to the 3 o'clock position.

South

The cardinal direction that corresponds to the 6 o'clock position.

West

The cardinal direction that corresponds to the 9 o'clock position.

Equatorial Projection

A type of map projection centered on the Earth's equator.

Polar Projection

A type of map projection centered on one of Earth's poles.

Oblique Projection

A type of map projection centered on any point or line between the equator and the poles.

Cylindrical Projection

A type of map projection in which the surface features of the globe are projected onto a cylinder.

Azimuthal Projection

A map projection in which the Earth's surface is projected onto a flat tangent plane.

Conic Projection

A map projection created by projecting Earth's surface features onto a cone touching or intersecting the globe.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

A framework for gathering, managing, and analyzing spatial data, incorporating components such as software, people, and methods.

Meridians

Lines of longitude running north-south on a map or globe that measure angular distance east or west.

Large Scale Map

A map that represents a smaller geographic area with a higher amount of detail.

The process of detecting and monitoring physical characteristics of an area from a distance, exemplified by satellites, radar sensing, infrared sensors, drones, and sonar.

Remote Sensing

An example of a remote sensing tool used to collect data and imagery of Earth from orbit.

Satellites

A remote sensing method that uses radio waves to determine the distance, angle, or velocity of objects.

Radar Sensing

Remote sensing devices used to detect infrared radiation emitted or reflected from Earth's surface.

Infrared Sensors

Unmanned aerial vehicles utilized as platforms for remote sensing data collection.

Drones

A remote sensing technology that uses sound propagation underwater to navigate, communicate, or detect objects, utilized in fish finders and related applications.

Sonar

One of the most commonly used map projections that displays all great circles as straight lines.

Gnomonic Projection

One of the most commonly used conformal cylindrical map projections, widely used for marine navigation.

Mercator Projection

One of the most commonly used compromise map projections that shows the entire world at once with visually balanced distortion.

Robinson Projection

The cardinal direction that corresponds to the 12 o'clock position.

North

The cardinal direction that corresponds to the 3 o'clock position.

East

The cardinal direction that corresponds to the 6 o'clock position.

South

The cardinal direction that corresponds to the 9 o'clock position.

West

A type of map projection centered on the Earth's equator.

Equatorial Projection

A type of map projection centered on one of Earth's poles.

Polar Projection

A type of map projection centered on any point or line between the equator and the poles.

Oblique Projection

A type of map projection in which the surface features of the globe are projected onto a cylinder.

Cylindrical Projection

A map projection in which the Earth's surface is projected onto a flat tangent plane.

Azimuthal Projection

A map projection created by projecting Earth's surface features onto a cone touching or intersecting the globe.

Conic Projection

A framework for gathering, managing, and analyzing spatial data, incorporating components such as software, people, and methods.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

Lines of longitude running north-south on a map or globe that measure angular distance east or west.

Meridians

A map that represents a smaller geographic area with a higher amount of detail.

Large Scale Map