AP Human Geography Key Issue 1 Vocabulary

Meridian

A line that goes from the northern horizon to the southern horizon.

Longitude

the numbering system used to indicate each meridian line. Meridian lines go from top to bottom on the globe.

parallel

a series of circles drawn around the globe parallel to the equator.

latitude

The numbering system to indicate the location of each parallel. Parallel lines go from left to right on the globe.

prime meridian

0 degrees longitude, A meridian that passes through Greenwich england.

Greenwich Mean Time

0 degrees longitude. It is the point from which all other time zones are set.

International Date Line

180 degrees longitude. When crossing it east towards america you turn back time 24hrs and when crossing it west away from America you turn clock ahead 24 hrs

Region

An area distinguished by a unique combination of trends or features.

Space

The physical gap between two objects

connection

Relationships among people and objects across the barrier of space.

map

flat scale model of earths surface or a model of it.

Cartography

The science of making maps

Projection

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

GPS (global positioning system)

Using multiple satellites in space, it can accurately determine the precise position of something on earth.

Geotagging

identification and storage of a piece of information by its precise latitude and longitude coordinates

GI Science (geographic information science)

The development and analysis of data about Earth acquired through satellite and other electronic information technologies

GIS (geographic information system)

A computer system that stores, organizes, analyzes, and displays geographic data in layers. (Each layer represents a different piece of human environmental information. Layers can be viewed individually or in a combination)

remote sensing

Involves satelites that scan earths surface from space, and transmits those images to a receiving station on earth

PGIS (Participatory Geographical Information Systems)

Community-based mapping, representing local knowledge and information.

Citizen Science

scientific research by amateur scientists

VGI (Volunteered Geographic Information)

Creation and dissemination of geographic data contributed voluntarily and for free by individuals

mashup (map)

a map that overlays data from one source on top of a map provided by a mapping service

map scale

The relationship between the size of an object on a map and the size of the actual feature on Earth's surface.

mental (cognitive) map

A representation of a portion of Earth's surface based on what an individual knows about a place, containing personal impressions of what is in a place and where places are located.