APHUG Unit 1

Reference Maps

Help to identify where things are located and navigation, ex google maps

Absolute/relative distance

Unit of exact measurement between two points vs level of familiarity, ex difference between neighborhood traits and distance

Absolute/relative direction

Compass vs reference from one point to another, ex Lake Michigan east of Chicago

Spatial patterns

An organization of objects and space on Earth, ex major cities near water

Map distortion

Inaccuracy in shape, area, distance, or direction when making 3D planet 2D

Thematic maps

Emphasize spatial patterns like soil types, ex elevation, terrain

Geographic information systems (GIS)

Software application for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on Earth’s surface

Global positioning system (GPS)

A system of satellites that orbit Earth and send signals for many map based apps used for directions

Remote sensing

Scanning the earth by satellite or high flying aircraft to obtain information

Online mapping/visuals

Internet based tools to create/show geographic data, shows visuals or interactives

Types of spatial information

Field, media, travel, policy, personal, landscape, and photographic

Lines of Longitude

Meridians, 360 total, converge at poles, vertical running North to South

Lines of latitude

Horizontal lines, East to West, equator, 90 total, parallel

Census data

Official count or survey of a population usually recording details like age, sex, and race

Satellite imagery

Images of Earth's surface from sensors on satellites, record visible/non visible electromagnetic patterns and process for humans to view

Data based decision making

People use census data and satellite imagery to make decisions on personal, business/organizational, and governmental purposes

Absolute and relative locations

The position of one place (or person) in relation to the position of another

Space

The areas we occupy as humans; it has no value until the people who occupy it make it their own

Place

How we modify space based on who we are as a group of people

Distance decay

‘First law of geography’ interaction between two places decrease the farther apart they are

Time-space compression

The decreasing distance between places, by travel or cost; ‘the world is shrinking’

Sustainability

The group of practices that meet the needs of present without compromising future generations ability to meet their needs

Natural Resources

Materials or substances that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain

Environmental determinism

The belief that the physical environment is the dominant force shaping cultures/humanity is a product of its surroundings

Environmental possibilism

The belief that the physical environment offers many ways for a society to develop and can overcome environmental challenges.

Desalinization

The process of removing salt from seawater

Land use

How land has been changed or modified to be used for a specific purpose or task

Land use types

Agricultural, industrial, residential, commercial, recreational, transportation

Renewable resources

Natural resources that can be used many times and won’t run out

Non renewable resources

Natural resources that can only be used once

Scales of analysis

Global, regional, national, local

Use of different scales

More detailed information about causes and effects of certain issues

Scale

The relationship of a distance on a map to the corresponding distance on the ground

State

A geographic area organized into one political unit

Small scale map

A map that shows a large portion of the Earth's surface but has less details in the data displayed

Large scale map

A map that shows less of the Earth’s surface but has more details in the data its displaying

Types of regions

Formal, functional, and perceptual/vernacular

Formal region

A geographical area inhibited by people who have one or more traits in common

Functional region

A geographical area that has been organized to function politically, socially, culturally, or economically as one unit

Perceptual/Vernacular region

A geographical area that is perceived to exist by its inhabitants, based on the widespread acceptance and use of unique regional name

Choropleth maps

Compares data using color patterns

Political maps

Names of countries

Isoline maps

Distinguish perceptual regions, uses lines to connect points for data gradient

Graduated symbol

One topic, compares countries data using one shape, typically a circle

Cartogram map

Emphasizes data through visual and shows size distortion because of data

Dot density map

Measures concentration or location to show data distribution

Mercator map

Makes land near equator more distorted, for easier navigation

Robinson map

Recognizable, more accurate land mass, distortion near poles, distorts navigation

Gall-Peters map

Good for showing total land mass size but not shape

Goode map

Not accurate for travel or navigation, very accurate representation of land masses size and shape