Unit 1 AP Human Geography vocab

modules 1 through 5

spacial patterns

the placement or arrangement of objects on Earth’s surface, also including the space between.

spacial perspective

a geographic perspective that seeks to identify and explain the use of space

map scale

distance on map in relation to actual space

map

a 2 dimensional representation of a geographic area or place

relative distance

the level of social, cultural, or economic similarity between places despite their absolute distance from one another.

elevation

distance above sea level

isoline

connects or links different places that share a common or equal value

topographic map

represents the 3-dimensional configuration of the earth,

reference maps

show geographic locations on earth’s surface

thematic maps

instead of emphasizing earth’s features, they show the distribution of a specific attribute or characteristic or the relation of several attributes

chloropleth maps

thematic maps that show data for a specific geographic area, typically a political unit like a county, province, or state.

cartogram

distorts the shape of an area to show the size of a particular variable. the larger the area, the larger the variable.

proportional/graduated circle maps

use symbols of different sizes to represent numerical values.

dot density/distribution map

use dots to represent objects or counts.

map projection

represents the surface of the earth on a two dimensional surface. all map projections are distorted

mercator projection

the standard projection. size is only accurate along the equator and gets more distorted towards north and south poles.

peters projection

was made in response to Mercator projection. it has an equal-area projection that shows all land masses with accurate size but it distorts shape, w/ Africa being elongated and Russia getting horizontally crushed along the N pole.

the goode homolosine projection

avoids all shape distortion by creating interruptions in this map’s continuity. not accurate because it splits the oceans.

polar projection

looks down from perspective of north or south pole. areas near poles seem much larger and size becomes more disproportional the further from the equator.

robinson projection

keepps distortion relatively low

prime meridian

the zero degree longtitude which runs through Greenwhich england.

global positioning system (GPS)

a US government owned system of 24 satellites that orbit Earth twice daily and send radio signals earthward.

geographic information systems (GIS)

a software application for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on earth’s surface.

remote sensing

the scanning of the earth by satellites or high flying aircraft in order to obtain information about it.

relative location

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

space

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

place

how we modify space based on who we are as people

cultural landscape

the built forms that cultural groups create in inhabiting earth, and the meaning, values, representation, and experiences associated with those forms

time-space compression

the decreasing distance between places, as measured by travel time or cost. caused by high speed air travel, the internet, etc.

interdependence

the ties between regions and countries that over time collectively create a global economic system. combined with globalization has diminished the importance of borders in terms of the circulation of goods, people, and ideas.

geographic processes

the physical and human forces that work together to form and transform the world

diffusion

the pattern by which a phenomenon such as the movement of people or their ideas, tech, or preferences spread from one location to another

independent invention

occurs when the same or a very similar invention is developed at the same time in different places by people working independently.

expansion diffusion

when ideas or practices spread throughout a population, area to area, so that the total number of knowers or users and the areas of occurrence increase like a snowball effect.

hierarchical diffusion

subtype of expansion diffusion - occurs when ideas leap from one important person, community, or city to another, bypassing other persons, communities, or rural areas.

reverse hierarchical diffusion

occurs when ideas leap from a lower level to a higher level

contagious diffusion

subtype of expansion diffusion - involves the wavelike spread of ideas without regard for the hierarchy. common in social media.

stimulus diffusion

subtype of expansion diffusion - occurs when a specific trait is rejected, but the underlying idea is accepted

relocation diffusion

occurs when individuals or groups with a particular idea or practice migrate from one location to another, thereby bringing the idea or practice to their new homeland. religions frequently spread through this type of diffusion.

ecology

a biological science concerned with studying the relationships among organisms and their physical environments

cultural ecology

the study of interactions between societies and their local environments

ecosystem

a territorially bound system consisting of the interactions between humans and the environment

environmental perception

the mental images that comprise humans’ perception of nature; may be accurate or inaccurate

natural resources

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

nonrenewable resources

resources that are available on earth in finite quantities and will eventually be used up.

renewable resources

resources that will be naturally replenished by earth over time

greenhouse gases

compounds in earth’s atmosphere such as CO2 released from fossil fuels that absorb and trap heat close to earths surface

greenhouse effect

global warming caused by CO2

environmental determinism

the idea that physical environment shapes cultures and that humanity is a product of its surroundings.

possibilism

the idea that any physical environment offers a number of possible ways for a society to develop. they believe that while local environment does shape culture, the way of life ultimately depends on people’s choices

geographic scale

the geographical extent of the area(s) under investigation

global scale

geographic scale that looks at geographic phenomena across the world. important due to globalization.

regional scale analysis

scale that identifies and analyzes geographic phenomena within a particular region.

national scale analysis

scale that identifies and analyzes geographic phenomena within a specific country

local scale analysis

scale that identifies and analyzes geographic phenomena within a state or province, city or town, or neighborhood.

glocal perspective

combines “global” and “local” to acknowledge the two way relationship between local communities and global patterns. reflects the idea that global-scale processes affect individuals at the local scale.

formal regions

regions that are defined by specific boundaries and uniform characteristics, such as political borders or shared physical traits.

functional region

regions that focus on the interactions and connections between areas, often centered around a particular activity or node.

vernacular region

regions that are shaped by individual perceptions and feelings about a place, making them more subjective and less defined. have “fuzzy” borders

perceptual region

exist in individual mental maps, and their boundaries vary from person to person.

region

a geographical unit based on one or more unifying characteristics, functions, or patterns of activity that are taking place.

border zone

a region where cultural markers overlap and blend into a recognizable border culture.

nodes

central points where the functions of a functional region are coordinated and directed

metropolitan area

an area composed of a heavily populated urban core and its less populated surrounding areas, including suburbs and other areas more distant from the city center.

mental map

a personal representation of earth’s surface

sense of place

how a person feels about a particular place and why its important

activity space

where a person goes and what they do on a day-to-day basis

regional identity

the awareness of belonging to a group of people within a region.

contested boundaries

boundaries that are disputed for religious, political, or cultural regions

regional analysis

the process of examining patterns and processes within and between regions at multiple geographic scales (local, national, regional, and global)