AP HuG - Unit 1 Flashcards

Reference maps

general information/navigation/location

Thematic maps

communicate information about a place - spatial aspects - what is it like there?

Choropleth maps

use various colors, shades of one color, or patterns to show the location and distribution of spatial data

Dot Density

Each dot represents a specified quantity of a spatial characteristic.

Graduated/Proportional Symbol

Use symbols of different sizes to indicate different amounts of a variable.

Cartogram

The sizes of countries are shown according to a specific variable. Area is distorted to show a variable.

Isoline map

Use lines that connect points of equal value to depict variations in the data across space. Used for weather and elevation.

Topographic Map

Isoline maps that demonstrate elevation.

Absolute Location

Exact location, address, latitude & longitude

Absolute distance

EXACT, PRECISE Miles/Kilometers/Feet Oak Hills is 21.3 miles away from my house. Map Scale

Relative Location

Relationship to another place

Relative Distance

Spatial Interaction: Connections, contacts, movement, and flow of things between places.

Map Projection

The process of a cartographer (map maker) showing the curved surface of the earth on a flat surface (map).

S.A.D.D.

Map projections are SADD because they distort shape, area, distance, and direction

The Robinson Projection

Advantages: No major distortions

Purpose-compromise

Disadvantages: All aspects are slightly distorted

The Peters Equal Area

Advantages: Area of landmasses are accurate

Repositions many countries to their rightful size

Disadvantages: Shapes are inaccurate near the poles Vertically stretched near the equator

The Mercator Projection (1569)

Advantages: Direction Shape

Purpose: Navigation

Preserves right angles of latitude and longitude

Disadvantages: Area distorted near the poles Increases size of high latitude areas

Fieldwork/Field Observations

The act of an individual physically visiting a location or place and recording, firsthand, information there.

Satellite Navigation Systems/Global Positioning System (GPS)

•Satellites orbits the earth and communicate locational information to GPS receivers •Absolute location

•Navigation > ships, cars, aircraft

Geographic Information System (GIS)

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

Remote Sensing

The use of cameras or other sensors mounted on aircraft or satellites which orbit the earth above the atmosphere to collect digital images of the earth's surface

Toponym

Location's name - usually reflective of the culture & history of a place.

Ex.: Georgetown, Washington

Site/Physical Landscape

Environmental features of a location

Clustering

•Close together

•Density - the # of something in a defined area

Dispersal/Distribution

•Far apart

•Distribution - the way something is spread out over an area

Patterns & Spatial Associations

Indication that two (or more) phenomena may be related, associated, or correlated with one another.

Regionalization

the process geographers use to divide and categorize space into smaller areas of analysis

Expansion Diffusion

A trend is spread from its originating place, outward

Relocation Diffusion

The physical spread of a feature or trait by people migrating

Stimulus Diffusion

When a feature or idea spreads, but is changed by those adopting the idea

Contagious Diffusion

when a cultural trend is transmitted from person to person from an original source to numerous others, similar to a virus or viral video

Cultural Ecology

The study of how humans interact or adapt to the environment

Environmental Determinism

•18th century •The belief that climate and land forms are the most powerful sources shaping human behavior and socio-cultural development •Used to justify racism

Possibilism

•More modern interpretation

•Acknowledges the limitations imposed by the natural environment, but focuses on the role of human culture to modify and respond to the environment to better fit human needs

Scale of the map

Scale of the map is the extend of what is visible in the map. For example, if you are looking at the entire world, the scale map is global

Scale of analysis

Scale of analysis, or level of aggregation, is a reference to the unit of land that is being depicted or measured

Small scale maps

Show large area with small amount of data

Large scale maps

Show small area with large amounts of data

Global scale map

National level of comparing & contrasting countries of the world

National scale map

Substate level

Regions

one or more unifying characteristics (human or physical) or patterns of activity

Physiological Population Density

The number of people per unit area of available land •Also called real population density

Crude Population Density

Explains density in terms of people per total square unit