AP Human Geography Ultimate Guide (copy) (copy)

Space

The geometric surface of the Earth defined by location and distance from other objects.

Activity Space

The area where daily activities occur.

Place

An area of bounded space with human importance.

Toponym

A place-name assigned when human importance is recognized.

Region

A category of place, could be formal, functional, or vernacular.

Sequent Occupancy

The succession of groups and cultural influences throughout a place’s history.

Scale

The relationship of an object or place to the Earth as a whole.

Map Scale

Describes the ratio of distance on a map to distance in the real world.

Absolute Location

Defines a point on the map using coordinates such as latitude and longitude.

Relative Location

Refers to the position of a place compared to known locations.

Distance Decay

The principle that interaction decreases as distance increases.

Tobler’s Law

States that all places are interrelated, but closer places are more related than those farther away.

Friction of Distance

The concept that distance inhibits interaction between two points.

Space-Time Compression

Decreased time and relative distance between places due to technology.

Central Place Theory

Analytical framework for understanding the spatial distribution of cities and towns.

Core-Periphery Model

Describes spatial relationships of cultural, economic, and political phenomena.

Cluster

When things are grouped together on the Earth’s surface.

Agglomeration

Clustering of similar economic activities around a central point.

Arithmetic Density

The total number of people per square unit of land.

Physiologic Density

The number of people per unit of arable land.

Diffusion

The process by which phenomena spread across space.

Hearth

A point of origin or place of innovation.

Expansion Diffusion

Originates in a central place and expands outward in all directions.

Hierarchical Diffusion

Spread from first-order locations to lower-order locations.

Contagious Diffusion

The rapid, widespread diffusion of a characteristic throughout the population.

Stimulus Diffusion

Diffusion of the underlying principle of an idea to stimulate new products.

Relocation Diffusion

Movement of people carrying their culture to a new location.

Topographic Maps

Show contour lines of elevation and landscape features.

Thematic Maps

Express specific subjects and do not show landforms.

Choropleth Maps

Maps using color variations to show geographic variability of themes.

Isoline Maps

Display data values between points across a variable surface.

Dot Density Maps

Use dots to express volume and density of a geographic feature.

Flow-Line Maps

Use lines of varying thickness to show direction and volume of movements.

Cartograms

Simplified geometries representing real-world places.

Mental Map

Cognitive image of a landscape in the human mind.

Concentric Zone Model

A model that shows urban structure and land use.

Sector Model

An urban land use model that represents different sectors in a city.

Multiple Nuclei Model

Suggests cities develop around multiple centers of activity.

Galactic City Model

Represents post-industrial city structure with multiple business districts.

Latin American City Model

Illustrates urban forms in Latin America influenced by colonial rule.

Suburbanization

The movement of populations from urban centers to suburbs.

Urban Sprawl

The expansion of urban areas into rural land.

Gentrification

Economic reinvestment in urban neighborhoods.