Chapter 1 vacab AP GEO

Spatial approach

A way of studying geography that focuses on how things are arranged in space and why they are located where they are

Space

The physical area on Earth where things exist and interact

Location

Where something is found on Earth, either by exact coordinates (absolute) or relative to other places

Place

A specific point on Earth with physical features (landforms, climate) and human features (culture, buildings)

Region

An area of Earth defined by one or more shared characteristics, such as culture, climate, or economy

Site

The physical characteristics of a place, like land, water, climate, soil, and natural resources

Situation

The location of a place relative to other places, such as cities, roads, rivers, or markets

Sense of place

The feelings, meanings, and emotions people attach to a location based on their experiences

Toponyms

The names given to places, often reflecting history, culture, or physical features

Time-space compression

The idea that advancements in transportation and communication make places feel closer together

Spatial interaction

The movement of people, goods, or ideas between places

Flow

The actual movement of people, goods, money, or information from one place to another

Friction of distance

The difficulty or cost of traveling between places, which usually increases with distance

Distance decay

The idea that interaction between two places decreases as distance between them increases

Patterns

The way objects or people are arranged in space, such as clustered, dispersed, or linear

Distribution

The arrangement of something across Earth’s surface, including where it is spread out

Spatial association

The relationship between two or more things based on their geographic location