APHG unit 1

Cartography

The art and science of making maps, including data compilation, layout, and design. Also concerned with the interpretation of mapped patterns.

International Date Line

the line of longitude that marks where each new day begins, centered on the 180th meridian

Isoline map

A thematic map with lines that connect points of equal or similar value

Dot map

Maps where one dot represents a certain number of a phenomenon, such as a population. Farm Density Across the United States (1997)

  

Map scale

Small scale = large area such as

the world

Large Scale = small area such as

a city

Longitude

the lines on a map that run north to south, but measure distance east or west of the prime meridian.

Site

physical character of a place, includes absolute location, climate, type of soil

Quantitative research

Research that provides data that can be expressed with numbers, such as ranks or scales.

Independent invention

The term for a trait with many cultural hearths that developed independent of each other

Diffusion

The process of spreading a feature or trend from one place to another over time

Polar projection

an azimuthal projection that is centered on one of the poles

physical characteristics OF PLACE

land features, mountains, plains, climate, & bodies of water

Hearth

a place from which an innovation originates

Mercator projection

Straight meridians and parallels that intersect at right angles. (Used for navigation & not accurate, distorts the poles)

*Goode Homolosine

Tears, or interruptions, minimize specific distortions. They are placed to group related parts of the map together.

Thematic maps

A map designed to convey information about a single topic or theme, such as population density or geology.

Mental map

space is organized as determined by an individual's perception, impression, and knowledge of that space.

Distance decay

trailing-off phenomenon of diminishing (losing) contact with the increase in distance

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

A computer hardware and software system that handles geographically referenced data.

-uses and produces maps and has the ability to perform many types of spatial analysis

Global Positioning System (GPS)

determines precise location based on satellite signals

Remote sensing

using long distance methods like satellite imagery to GATHER DATA about the Earth's surface

renewable resource

produced in nature faster than it is consumed by humans

nonrenewable resource

produced in nature more slowly than it is consumed by humans

Meridian

an arc drawn btwn the North & South pole

prime meridian

the meridian that passes through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England (0 degrees longitude)

Tropic of cancer

23.5 degrees latitude N

Tropic of Capricorn

23.5 degrees latitude

Greenwich mean time (GMT)

the time at the prime meridian (0 degrees longitude), is the master reference time for all points on Earth

local scale

A spatial scale that is essentially equivalent to a COMMUNITY.

global scale

the scale of the world, in a global setting.

Climate

long-term average weather condition at a particular location

Spatial analysis

examines the characteristics, location, and relationship between places and features on the earth's surface in order to explain the spatial expression of human behavior patterns

Physical geography

the branch of geography dealing with natural features and processes

Absolute location

Exact location of a place on the earth described by global coordinates

Latitude

the distance in degrees north or south of the equator

Equator

the imaginary center line of latitude that divides the northern and southern hemispheres

Relative location

the regional position or situation of a place relative to the position of other places

Region

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

Situation

the location of a place relative to other places

Sense of place

The relationship with places expressed in different dimensions of human life, how humans perceive a place.

Time space compression

The relationship with places expressed in different dimensions of human life, how humans perceive a place.

Density

The frequency with which something exists within a given unit of area

Distribution

The arrangement of something across Earth's surface.

Environmental possibilism

the idea that some environments offer specific constraints/ opportunities

Aerial photography

Taking images of the earth from elevated positions as a means of gathering geographic data

Cartographic scale

the way the map communicates the ratio of its size to the size of what it represents

Plot map

detailed map illustrating the geographic boundaries of individual lots

Choropleth maps

A map that uses differences in shading or coloring to indicate statistical ranges.

Topographic map

A map that shows the surface features of an area

Cartogram

a type of map used to present statistical info - stretch

Map projection

a way of representing the spherical Earth on a flat surface

Gall-peters projection

equal area projection that distorts the shape of land masses (looks stretched out)

Robinson projection

The lines of latitude and longitude almost intersect at right angles except near edges. Useful projection for display of oceans but land masses are distorted.

Functional (or nodal) region

Consists of a central place and the surrounding places affected by it

Perceptual (vernacular) region

a region defined by popular feelings and images rather than by objective data.

Qualitative data

Information describing color, odor, shape, or some other physical characteristic

Scale of analysis

a scale that determines what is being studied based on the size of the area being examined

Political geography

The spatial analysis of political phenomena and processes- like boundaries, sovereignty and laws

Census

the official count of a population

Environmental determinism

the view that the natural environment has a controlling influence over various aspects of human life including cultural development

Formal region

uniform or homogeneous areas where everyone in that region shares common attributes or traits like language, climate or political system- primarily used to outline political, cultural and economic regions

Human environment interaction

how people affect their environment and how their environment affects them

Proportional symbol map

uses a symbol that is either large or small depending on the size of the phenomenon it is representing

Sustainability

The use of Earth's renewable and nonrenewable natural resources in ways that do not constrain resource use in the future.

Census tract

A small, relatively permanent statistical subdivision of a county delineated by a local committee of census data users for the purpose of presenting data

Topography

A description of surface features of land.