APHG Unit #1 Vocab

physical geography

• The study of earth’s natural features and environment, including landforms, climate, soils and ecosystems. It examines the processes that shape the Earth's surface and how those processes affect human activities. Serves as a natural “stage” for human settlement and activity as well as how economy’s are built and political boundaries drawn.

Human Geography

sthe study of how human activity shapes, affects and is affected by the earth’s surface and spatial relationships, focusing on cultural, economic, and social dimensions.

four level analysis

a spatial framework/guide for geographic thinking using

-comprehension (what/where/when, establish facts and basic understanding of map/data)

-identification (spot and describe spatial patterns and trends in data and connections between different geographic phenomena)

-explanation (Why is something located where it is and how did it get there?)

-predictions (why does this data/pattern matter and predict possible future effects or impacts on ESPN / Economic, social, political, and environmental trends)

Analyze

to examine methodically and in detail, to break down geographic data/spatial patterns and study their relationships, why human activities occur where they do and to infer conclusions based on this

theory

a systematic set of ideas or models used to explain patterns, spatial relationships with phenomena and human activities/actions

concepts

ideas of how people, places and things are categorized/organized on Earth including describing location, movement, and interaction across the planet

processes

the sequence or actions, mechanisms, or events that creates, changes or explains a spatial patterns over time (pattern shows where things are on a map and a process explains the how and why of the location)

Models

representations of objects or systems (simplified spatial/visual/mathematical theories used to explain complex human patterns on Earth)

spatial models

stylized simplified representations of reality using shapes, diagrams and maps to convey theories about how humans arrange themselves, organize activities and utilize earth’s land and resources

non spatial models

models that use words, graphs, tables and or numbers rather than shapes and pictures in stylized maps. they focus on processes, trends, and changes over time instead of physical arrangements/location

time-distance decay

when two places become farther apart or the time and physical distance between them increase, the strength of their interaction drops. this is because transportation or people goods or ideas is more costly as distance increases

spatial patterns

the ways in which people places, objects and human/environmental phenomena across earth’s surface are physically arranged distributed or organized

networks

a set of interconnected nodes (the individuals, specific places or computers within a system) that are linked together by communication, transportation, or trade systems that allow for the flow of ideas, goods and people across space

quantitative data

information that is represented using numbers, counts, or measurements to study spatial patterns and human behavior (common in analyzing statistics)

geospatial data

informations/data that is directly linked to a specific location and its characteristics on Earth often used in mapping and analyzing spatial patterns.

qualitative sources

information that is descriptive and explores the qualities or characteristics of a particular phenomenon, (non numeric info that uses words, images, and descriptions.

scales of analysis

The different levels at which geographers analyze/interpret/organize data and spatial patterns “zoom level”

-global

-regional

-national

-local

reference maps

maps that show the absolute location of a place or geographic feature. Answers “where is it” without further info on statistical themes or data

political maps

maps depicting human made lines/boundaries such as territories, countries, states or major cities (a type of reference map)

physical maps

a map that shows nature features and characteristics of earth’s surface such as topography, water bodies, landforms or elevation (a type of reference map)

road maps

detailed representations of streets, highways, and road networks that help with navigation and travel. (a type of reference map) focusses on human made features instead of nature geography

plat maps

detailed maps that show the divisions of land ownership, property boundaries, and the layout of lots and buildings.

thematic maps

maps that focus on the spatial distribution, pattern or theme of a phenomena or variable instead of just physical/political features

choropleth maps

uses different colors, shades or patterns to display data values

dot distribution maps

a type of thematic map that uses dots to represent the presence or quantity of a particular attribute/phenomena in specific areas, illustrating spatial distribution.

graduated / proportional symbol maps

utilizes symbols such as circles or bars that increase or decrease in size depending on the quantity of data value in a specific location

isoline maps

uses continuous lines across a region to join together points of equal value commonly seen in weather data (isobars=pressure maps) or in elevation (topographic maps)

cartogram maps

changes the physical size and shape of a geographic location based on specific quantitative data rather than showing accurate land area. this helps put visual emphasis on certain spatial patterns or distributions.

scale (cartographic and geographic)

cartographic scale: the ratio of the distance on the map to the real world distance

• large-scale: zooms in closely to show a small area but with lots of detail

• small-scale: zooms out to show lots of area but with less detail

geographic scale: the level of observation/point of view (local, national, regional, global)

absolute location

the exact, fixed location/position of a place on Earth’s surface. It uses the global grid system that is permanent and will never change.

relative location

the position of a place relative to its surroundings or other human/physical landmarks that can change depending on time/context

latitude

lines part of the global grid system that are horizontal (parallels) and are used to measure degrees north or south of the equator ranging from 0 - 90 N or S

Equator

the 0 degrees latitude line that cuts the world into North and South hemispheres and is the reference point for measuring latitude.

longitude

the vertical lines (meridians) that measure degrees East or West of the prime meridian ranging from 0 - 180 degrees E or W and they converge at the poles

prime meridian

the 0 degrees longitude line that passes through Greenwich, England and divides the Earth into eastern and western hemispheres and serves as the reference point for measuring longitude.

International Date Line

Imaginary line roughly following the 180 degree longitude meridian in the Pacific Ocean that separates two calendar days. If you cross it going east the calendar day goes back by one and going west advances the date by one day

relative location

the position of a place according to its proximity to other locations or landmarks, often described in relation to other places. can change over time because it relays on external conditions and its situation.

connectivity

the degree of direct linkage/connections between two places, nodes or regions relating often to transport or communication networks. Higher connectivity increases a places spatial interaction.

Accessibility

the relative ease of reaching a particular destination from other locations. It is determined by connectivity; more roads/better roads or airports means more accessibility. low accessibility for a place can mean uneven development or geographic isolation

Directions

The orientation of spatial phenomena

absolute direction

a compass direction such as north, south, east, or west that is based on the Earth's geographic coordinate system.

relative direction

a direction that relies on the location of other objects or points, often described using terms like left, right, forward, or backward. or culturally defined/known words such as deep south or out west.

patterns

the geometric/spatial arrangement of objects/phenomena on Earth’s surface that can reveal relationships or trends. they can be clustered dispersed linear or random

elevation

the physical height or distance of something above sea level topically in feet or meters. this can determine many factors such as temperature, oxygen, pressure, weather, terrain all leading to decreased human settlement as elevation is increased. (major influencing factor for population distribution)

distribution

the arrangement or spread of a feature/phenomenon. answers the question “where” and is analyzed by geographers for density (how often it occurs), concentration (how close/far apart things are) and patterns (its geometric layout)

Clustered (agglomerated) distribution

when phenomena or objects are grouped together closely in a concentrated area such as restaurants/shops in a mall or houses in a nucleated village

linear distribution

when phenomena are arranged into a straight line/continuous path such as houses or farms along a river or railroad track

dispersed distribution

when phenomena are spread far apart or scattered through a large geographic area such as farms in rural areas or giant malls in very rural or big cities (metropolis areas)

circular distribution

phenomena are arranged around a central point or node equally spaced from the core forming a circular/rounded layout. this could be neighborhood homes circling a particular market/park or concentric (rings inside rings) land use around a market.

geometric/grid distribution

phenomena are arranged in a regular, uniform, rectangular or shape like structure typically incorporating parallel lines and right angles. like city/urban street blocks or town squares allowing for more efficient travel.

random distribution

when there is no structure or predictable geometric pattern in the position of phenomena. weeds growing across a state/community field or pet owners in a city

Landscape analysis

the systematic study and description of a physical and cultural landscape . this allows for understanding of how humans have shaped, used and interacted with that environment over time. This includes examining land use patterns, vegetation, and human activities to assess changes and impacts on the landscape.

field observations

the act of physically going to a place to record first hand information about human activities, land use, and landscape features.

spatial data

any type of qualitative or quantitative info connected to a specific location on Earth.

remote sensing

the act of collecting geographic data about Earth’s surface using satellites or aircraft (any means of data collecting from a distance without physical contact).

Aerial photography

the act of taking photographs of the Earth s surface form an elevated perspective using things such as satellites, drones, balloons or aircraft. it is a main type of geographic data and provides a good birds eye view of things that ground level analysis misses. it is common in GIS (geographic info systems) and GPS to show changes over time.

Field work

the practice of collecting geographic data by in person visiting local places and observing show people interact with and change their environment. the difference between that and field observation is that observation is the act of directly watching, recording or mapping a locations physical/human characteristics while field work is just doing the work in person and outside of the classroom/lab

Geovisualization

the use of visual tools and techniques to represent geographic data in a way that makes it easier for people to analyze and understand spatial patterns, often involving interactive maps and 3D representations.

Global Positioning System (GPS)

a satellite based system that determines the exact location of something on Earth (including lat/long and altitude). it is widely used for navigation, mapping, and location tracking and provides absolute location compared to relative.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

a computer system that captures, stores, analyzes and displays geographic statical data by organizing it into layers which users can then mash up. GIS allows geographers to stack together different layers of spatial info such as roads, water, elevation or density onto one map making it easy to see connections and patterns.

GIS vs GPS

GPS finds the exact precise coordinate of something on Earth using satellite based systems that calculate the absolute location (longitude/latitude/altitude)

GIS is a computer system that takes this geographic data and stores, manages and visualizes it

Spatial approach

is a method of analysis that uses location, distance, direction, orientation, flow, pattern, and interconnection to understand the arrangement of phenomena studied across Earth’s surface. It also looks at movements of people and things, perceptions of space by humans and changes over time in a place. Some questions they might attempt to answer about spatial distributions are:

• Why are things where they are?

• How did things become distributed as they are?

• What is changing the pattern of distribution?

• What are the implications of the spatial distribution for people?

space

the area between two or more things. it is looked at for its arrangement, usage, and is reflected in peoples beliefs/opinions.

location

identifies where specific phenomena are located either relative (to another location) or absolute (using a grid system)

place

the precise and unique human and physical characteristics of a location. It encompasses the culture, landscape, and experiences that shape how an area is perceived and valued by individuals and communities.

site

site is the immediate trates for a location such as the soil type, climate, labor force, and human structures.

exp: the site of Riyadh, the capital and most populated city in Saudi Arabia, is a desert climate, a large labor force, and a modern Islamic city.

situation

this is the location of a place relative to its surroundings and the connectivity of it to other places. It considers how a place is affected by its relationships with nearby locations, including accessibility and economic ties.

exp: The situation of the city Riyadh is that it is roughly the center of the Arabian peninsula and the situation of this peninsula is that it is between the two continents of Africa and asia.

exp: the situation of a small town that now has a new interstate highway passing through is that it is suddenly more important than the ones not close to the interstate.

sense of place

the strong emotional connection or feeling people have tied to a certain place

exp: coming home from a long trip and being in your neighborhood at last

exp: Rome Italy might be described differently by a local resident than by an outsider or by a Catholic

than by a Hindu.

-if a place has no emotional ties in people / lacks uniqueness it has placelessness

toponyms

what a place is called or referred to (a name basically). Toponyms can reflect cultural history, physical features, or historical events associated with that location.

exp: the coast of Florida is dotted with communities with “beach” in the name—Fernandina Beach, Miami Beach, Pensacola Beach—all of which are on beaches

exp: . Iowa is named for a Native American tribe

confusing exp: greenland is icier than iceland

time space compression

the decreasing of the relative distance or time it takes to get somewhere because of improved transportation and communication. This concept illustrates how advancements in technology reduce the barriers of distance, making it easier for people and goods to move between locations.

exp: New York City and London are separated by an ocean, but the development of air travel greatly reduced travel time between them (feels much closer now than in 19th century even tho 3,500 miles is still the same)

spatial interaction

The movement, flow and contact of things between locations (can be physical such as roads or non physical such as information like radios or internet). places with more connection = more spatial interaction

flow

the patterns / movement of ideas. people, products and other phenomena between locations and space

friction of distance / distance decay

The concept that distance creates a barrier to movement or interaction is the friction of distance and the concept that when things are farther away they interact less is distance decay.

exp: radio signal getting weaker as it travels across space away from the radio tower (the weakening is the friction of distance)

patterns

the general arrangement of things being studied that geographers try to accurately describe. They reveal relationships, distributions, and trends in spatial data.

distribution

distribution is the way phenomena are arranged or spread out over an area that describe patterns. Geographers can look for patterns in distribution that can help decide the cause/effect of the distribution.

distribution patterns: clustered, dispersed, linear, circular, geometric, random or clustered

spatial association

two or more phenomena that may be related or associated with each other because of their matching patterns of distribution across an area.

exp: malaria cases distribution and the mosquito that carries it distribution

exp: bike stores and athletic clothes stores in a city (these may show the active people in the area but are not directly correlated)