Human Geo. - Unit 4 Vocab

Land Use

the management and modification of the environment into a useable space for human habitation

Natural Resources

materials in the natural environment that people value and use to satisfy their needs

Renewable Resources

materials constantly being replaced by the environment

Fossil Fuel

residue of plants and animals that were buried millions of years ago

Nuclear Energy

using the fission of atoms to rapidly push turbines and produce electricity

Ecological Footprint

impact of a person or community expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources

Von Thunen Model

theory that land use occurs in 4 production zones of agriculture around an urban area

Locational Rent

profit a farmer earns above the cost of production and transportation, and it is directly tied to distance to the market

Christaller's Central Place Theory

theory that the residences and businesses develop in a certain range from cities

Range

the maximum distance people are willing to travel to access a good or service

Threshold

the minimum number of people needed to support a service

Market Analysis

the appeal of an area for both the present and future business due to its characteristics like its population and competition

Sustainable Development

goals for addressing the challenges of land use and to be forward-thinking about social and economic change

Carbon-neutral

production by individuals or businesses that does not add more CO2, it removes as much carbon as it creates through conservation programs

Lagos

city in Nigeria on track to become the biggest city in the world with close to 100 million people spanning hundreds of miles in width

Bangalore

city in India with little urban planning and massive changes to the environmental landscape

Kinshasa

city in Democratic Republic of Congo expected to grow to near 80 million people with an increase of shanty dwellings and slum communities

Emissions

the discharge of gasses due to combustion

Smog

haze in the atmosphere from the right weather conditions in places with higher emissions

Inversion

when a polluted warm air mass is trapped beneath a cooler air mass causing the air quality index to be worse

Global Warming

many scientists argue the climate changes are directly tied to human-produced CO2

Greenhouse Effect

atmospheric gasses create a layer of air that traps heat near the earth

Dioxins

highly toxic compounds derived from manufactured products

Non-biodegradable

unable to break down naturally

PFAs

chemical compounds that are resistant to breaking down

Methane

a gas that is created from chemical reactions of waste

Great Pacific Garbage Patch

collection of debris that stays in the ocean currents