ap human study set

absolute direction

Based on the cardinal points of north, south, east, and west

absolute distance

The distance that can be measured with a standard unit length, such as a mile or kilometer.

absolute location

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

activity space

the space within which daily activity occurs

aerial photography

The acquisition of imagery of the ground taken from an airborne platform.

cartogram

Like a map - distorts the shapes and sizes of countries or other political regions to present economic or other kinds of data for comparison.

cartographer

mapmaker

census

the official count of a population

choropleth map

A thematic map that uses tones or colors to represent spatial data as average values per unit area.

contagious diffusion

The rapid, widespread diffusion of a feature or trend throughout a population.

cultural ecology

the geographic study of human-environment relationships

cultural landscape

the visible imprint of human activity and culture on the landscape

culture

the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next

diffusion

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

dot distribution map

a map type that uses a dot symbol to show the presence of a feature or phenomenon

ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

elevation

The height of land above sea level

environmental determinism

A nineteenth- and early twentieth-century idea that the environment is mainly responsible for determining human culture

expansion diffusion

The spread of an innovation or an idea through a population in an area in such a way that the number of those influenced grows continuously larger, resulting in an expanding area of dissemination.

fieldwork

the study of geographic phenomena by visiting places and observing how people interact with and thereby change those places

formal region

An area in which everyone shares in one or more distinctive characteristics

friction of distance

the increase in time and cost that usually comes with increasing distance

functional region

A region defined by the particular set of activities or interactions that occur within it

gender

general term for the ways a society defines the differences between females and males

GIS

A computer system that stores, organizes, analyzes, and displays geographic data.

global citizen

someone who identifies with being part of an emerging world community and whose actions contribute to building this community's values and practices

GPS

A system that determines the precise position of something on Earth through a series of satellites, tracking stations, and receivers.

global scale

Interactions occurring at the scale of the world, in a global setting.

globalization

the process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale.

glocal perspective

idea that what happens globally affects the local and vice versa

Goode Homolosine projection

An interrupted, pseudocylindrical, equal area, composite map projection used for world maps.

greenhouse gases

Gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor, and ozone in the atmosphere which are involved in the greenhouse effect.

hierarchical diffusion

A form of diffusion in which an idea or innovation spreads by passing first among the most connected places or peoples.

human geography

The study of where and why human activities are located where they are

independent invention

a trait that many cultural hearths that develop independent of each other

infrastructure

the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g., buildings, roads, and power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise.

interdependence

Mutual dependence between things

isoline

A thematic map with lines that connect points of equal value.

latitude

distance north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees

map legend

Explains the meaning of symbols used on a map.

local scale analysis

geographic scale that analyse geographic phenomena within a state, city, town or neighborhood

Longitude

Distance east or west of the prime meridian, measured in degrees

map

A two-dimensional, or flat, representation of Earth's surface or a portion of it.

map projection

a way of representing the spherical Earth on a flat surface

map scale

compares a distance on a map with a distance in the real world

mental map

A map which represents the perceptions and knowledge a person has of an area

Mercator projection

used by pilots as lines that connect show accurate compass directions, hugely distorted at the poles

metropolitan area

region that includes a central city and its surrounding suburbs

national scale analysis

geographic scale that identifies and analyses phenomena within a specific country

natural hazard

when physical forces create an extreme event that is somewhat unpredictable and that may have a negative effect on people

natural resources

Materials or substances such as minerals, forests, water, and fertile land that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain

nodes

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

non renewable resources

a resource that cannot be reused or replaced easily (ex. gems, iron, copper, fossil fuels)

perceptual/vernacular region

an area that people believe exists as part of their cultural identity

Peters projection

map that shows all the landmasses with their true areas but greatly distorts their shape

place

how people change their space based on their culture

polar projection

an azimuthal projection that is centered on one of the poles

possibilism

viewpoint that people, not environments, are the dynamic forces of cultural development

prime meridian

The meridian, designated at 0° longitude, which passes through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England.

proportional circle map

map that uses circles/dots of different sizes to represent numerical values

reference map

A map type that shows reference information for a particular place, making it useful for finding landmarks and for navigation.

region

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

regional scale analysis

geographic scale that identifies and analyzes geog phenomena with a particular region

relative direction

Directions such as left, right, forward, backward, up, and down based on people's perception of places

relative distance

Distance measured in terms such as cost or time which are more meaningful for the space relationship in question

relative location

location in relation to other places

relocation diffusion

the spread of an idea through physical movement of people from one place to another

remote sensing

A method of collecting data or information through the use of instruments that are physically distant from the area or object of study.

renewable resources

a resource that can be renewed, solar, wind

reverse hierarchical diffusion

When a trait spreads from areas of little influence to larger areas.

Robinson projection

Projection that attempts to balance several possible projection errors. It does not maintain completely accurate area, shape, distance, or direction, but it minimizes errors in each.

satellite imagery

images from satellites that orbit Earth

scale

territorial extent of an idea or object

sense of place

The feeling that an area has a distinct and meaningful character

space

area where people live, it has no value until people make it their own

spatial patterns

ways in which people, places, and characteristics are organized on the Earth's surface

spatial perspective

they way geographers look at and explain everything-- in relation to space

stimulus diffusion

a form of diffusion in which a cultural adaptation is created as a result of the introduction of a cultural trait from another place

sustainability

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

thematic map

A type of map that displays one or more variables-such as population, or income level-within a specific area.

time-distance decay

the idea that near things are more related than far things, interaction decreases between places the farther they are apart

time-space compression

process by which technology decreases the distance between places as measured by time or cost

topographic map

a map showing the surface features of an area