AP human geography vocab test one

Cartography

The science or practice of map-making.

Climate

The long-term average of weather patterns in a specific area.

Cultural Ecology

The study of how cultures interact with and adapt to their natural environment.

Environmental determinism

The belief that the natural environment largely determines human behavior and culture.

Possibism

The idea that humans can overcome environmental challenges through their innovation and technology.

Distance decay

The concept that the strength of interaction between places decreases as the distance between them increases.

Distribution

How something is spread out or arranged across the Earth's surface.

Concentration

How spread out or clustered features are in a given area.

density

The number of features or items per unit area.

Pattern

The geometric or orderly arrangement of features on the Earth's surface.

Geographic tools

Instruments used for collecting, analyzing, and displaying geographic (spatial) data.

GPS ( global positioning System)

A satellite-based system used to determine the exact absolute location of people or objects on Earth.

GIS (Geographic information system)

A system that stores, analyzes, and displays geographic data in layers to create maps and models.

Remote sensing

Collecting geographic (spatial) data from a distance, typically using satellites or aircraft.

Map

A visual representation of spatial data on a flat surface.

Distortion

Inaccuracy or alteration caused when the Earth's three-dimensional (3-D) shape is flattened onto a two-dimensional (2-D) map.

Projection

The process of transferring the Earth's curved (3-D) surface onto a flat (2-D) map.

Scale

The ratio comparing a distance on a map to the corresponding actual distance on the Earth's surface.

Small scale

A map that covers a large geographic area but shows less specific detail.

Large scale

A map that covers a small geographic area but shows a great amount of detail.

Site

The physical characteristics of a place, such as its topography, vegetation, and water sources.

Situation

A place's location described in relation to surrounding features and other places.

Space Time compression

The reduction in the time it takes for an idea or innovation to spread, or for places to connect, due to technological advancements.

Toponym

The name given to a geographic place.

Absolute location

The exact position on Earth's surface, typically identified using a coordinate system like latitude and longitude.

Relative location

A place's location described in relation to other places or landmarks.

Regions

Areas of the Earth's surface defined by one or more common or shared characteristics.

Formal region

A region defined by a common characteristic (like language or climate) or a clear, official boundary.

Functional region(nodal)

A region organized around a central point or node, such as a major city and its surrounding service area.

Perceptual region(vernacular)

A region that exists as part of a cultural identity or personal perception, rather than a formal definition (e.g., 'The South' in the U.S.).

scale(On a map)

The ratio comparing a distance on a map to the corresponding actual distance on the Earth's surface.

Orientation

The positioning of a map in relation to true North, often indicated by a compass rose or North arrow.

Longitude

The angular distance east or west of the Prime Meridian, measured in degrees.

Latitude

The angular distance north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees.