Ap Human vocab 1

Distributed

the ways in which things are arranged within a given space; examples include clustered, random, or dispersed

Possibilism

The physical environment can limit human choices but humans can adapt or adjust to make choices; Dubai is a harsh terrain but people adapt and make choices in order to live there, the terrain/climate didn't keep people from choosing to live there. Amsterdam is below sea-level but through modification and adaptation it is a thriving city and economic center.

Geographic Information System

A computer software that stores, analyzes, and displays layers of geographic data

Remote Sensing

Satellite pictures of earth represent this form of geographic observation. Observing or studying an object (like the earth) from a distance.

Spatial Perspective

refers to where something occurs. In the same way that history is concerned with time and the chronological aspects of human life, geography is concerned with the aspects like where things are located and why they are located there

Relative Location

a description of where a place is in relation to other places or features

Situation

The location of a place relative to other places when described through connections. Examples- Shanghai is near the confluence of the Yangtze River and the East China Sea and these rivers are used to move people and goods. Richmond is along the James River, I64 and I95, and it has a regional airport, allowing Richmond residents to easily access other cities and states.

Physical Geography

the study of natural processes and the distribution of features in the environment, such as landforms, plants, animals, and climate

Environmental Determinism

The belief that the physical environment causes social development; it makes our choices for us like where to live, how to eat, and what we grow. This is an outdated idea that is now mostly rejected by geographers.

Mental Map

internalized representations (in your head) of portions of Earth's surface

Absolute location

the exact location of an object. It is usually expressed in coordinates of longitude and latitude or as a street address

Human Geography

the study of the events and processes that have shaped how humans understand, use, and alter Earth

Flow

movement of people, goods, and information and the economic, social, political, and cultural effects of these movements on societies

Ecological Perspective

refers to the relationships between living things and their environments

Space

refers to the area between two or more things on Earth's surface

Distance Decay

The farther away one thing is from another, the less interaction the two things will have

Formal Region

An area in which everyone shares in one or more distinct characteristics like laws or language. Examples-Virginia, Chicago, Henrico County. Characterized by having a well-defined or easy to establish border.

Globalization

Actions or processes that involve the entire world and result in making something worldwide in scope, made easier with technological advances in communication and travel

Density

The frequency with which something occurs in space (can be measures of people, houses, cars, volcanoes, or anything, with any method of measurement). Example-the total number of residents in a measured area. In the image below this measure is high on the left an low on the right:

Place

All elements that make a location unique or give it uniqueness. You have a sense of this when you have been somewhere and experienced it's characteristics but you only have a perception of this when it's somewhere you've never been.

Region

An area distinguished by a unique combination of cultural and physical features; can be formal, functional or perceptual

Location

A specific point on Earth distinguished by a particular characteristic. Examples-Richmond is in Virginia at Latitude and longitude coordinates 37.541290, -77.434769. DSF is along Three Chopt Rd. Usually defined as absolute or relative.

Scale

The relationship/ratio between the portion of the Earth being studied, using representations like maps or globes, and Earth as a whole.

Pattern

The geometric or regular arrangement of something in a study area; city blocks, street grids, population distributions. Not random.

Site

The physical characteristics of a place; Factors such as elevation, climate, natural resources, and vegetation

Sustainability

Use of Earth's land and natural resources in ways that ensure they will continue to be available in the future

Census

An official count of the number of people in a defined area

World System Theory

Immanuel Wallerstein developed this to describe the spatial and functional relationships between countries in the world economy. This helps to explain the history of uneven economic development among countries and the reasons why certain regions have held onto political and economic power over long periods of time.

Sustainable development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Node

The focal point of a functional region; The focus of a region, such as a city's downtown. They serve a particular function—often a political, social, or economic purpose—and have internal connections that tie the region together. For instance, the central business districts of some cities form the focal point for the cities' economic activity.

Time-space compression

A key geographic principle that is related to "friction of distance". It describes the processes causing the relative distance between places to shrink. Modern transportation has greatly reduced travel times, and the internet and other forms of communication have made it easier to communicate with people anywhere on the planet and send money around the world through online banking transfers. Through these technologies, humans have effectively caused the distances between places to seem shorter, as they are able to cross those distances more quickly and exchange goods and information more easily.

Functional Region

An area organized around a node, activity space, or focal point. Examples-the listening area of a radio station, circulation area of a newspaper, radius of likely Flying Squirrels fans.

Core

Wealthier countries with higher education levels and more advanced technology

absolute direction

Cardinal and ordinal directions such as north and south, or northeast and southwest. I64 is north of Douglas Freeman HS

Cartographer

Map maker

Quantitative (data)

information measured by numbers, like the population of a country

Topography

the shape and features of land surfaces

Global Positioning System (GPS)

an integrated network of at least 31 satellites in the U.S. system that orbit Earth and transmit location data

Semi-periphery

countries that are in the process of industrializing; They are often active in manufacturing and exporting goods

absolute distance

distance that can be measured using a standard unit of length

Thematic map

Maps that serve a specific purpose and focus on the relationship among geographic data.

relative distance

distance measured in terms of other criteria such as time or money

relative direction

Where something is based on where something else is...left, right, down, behind, next to, across from Cookout is across the street from Kroger

Map scale

The mathematical relationship between the size of a map and the part of the real world it shows. It allows you to measure absolute distance. Can be expressed in three ways: as a representative fraction, written, or graphical

Periphery

Countries that have less wealth, lower education levels, and less sophisticated technology

Reference map

Maps that serve as generalized sources of geographic data that focus on location.

Qualitative (date)

Interpretations of data sources such as field observations, media reports, travel narratives, or personal interviews