Studied by 62 people
Physical Geography
the study of the spatial characteristics of various elements of the physical enviornment
Human Geography
the study of the spatial characteristics of humans and human activity
Four-level Analysis
A spatial framework consisting of four levels to assist in thinking like a geographer
Analyze
To break down into parts and study each part carefully
Theory
A system of ideas and concepts that attempt to explain and prove
Concepts
Key vocabulary, ideas, and building blocks that geographers use to describe our world
Processes
A series of steps or actions that explain why or how geographic patterns occur
Models
Representations of reality or theories about reality
Spatial models
Look like stylized maps, and they illustrate theories about spatial distributions
Nonspatial models
Illustrates theories and concepts using words, graphs, or tables
Time-distance decay
Decreasing interactions and connections as distance increases
Spatial patterns
General arrangements of things being studied
Networks
A set of interconnected entities (nodes)
Quantitative data
Any information that can be measured and recorded using numbers
Qualitative
Not represented by numbers. Collected by interviews, photographs, remote satellite images, and descriptions or cartoons.
Geospatial Data
Quantitative and spatial, it has a geographic location component to it.
Scales of analysis
Looking at topics at the local, regional, country, or global scale
Reference maps
Maps that show the absolute location of places and geographic features determined by a frame of reference, typically latitude and longitude
Political maps
Show and label human-created boundaries and designations, such as countries, states, cities, and capitals
Physical maps
Show and label natural features, such as mountains, rivers, and deserts
Road maps
show and label highways, streets, and alleys
Plat maps
Show and label property lines and details of land ownership
Thematic maps
Maps that show spatial aspects of information or of a phenomenon
Chloropleth maps
Maps that use colors to show location
Dot distribution maps
Maps that use dots to show location
Graduated symbol map
Maps that use symbols of different sizes to indicate different amounts of something
Isoline maps
Maps that use lines to connect points
Topographic maps
Maps that connects points of equal elevation and makes contours
Cartogram
Maps that changes size of countries to compare something
Scale
Ratio between real world vs. on the map
Cartographic scale
The way the map communicates the ratio of its size to the size of what it represents
Small scale maps
Show a larger amount of area with less detail
Absolute location
The precise spot where something is according to some system
Latitude
Distance north or south of the equator
Longitude
Distance east or west of the prime meridian
Equator
An imaginary line that circles the globe halfway between the north and south poles
Prime Meridian
An imaginary line that runs from pole to pole through Greenwich, England
International Date Line
Roughly follows the prime meridian but makes deviations to accommodate international boundaries
Relative Location
A description of where something is in relation to other things
Connectivity
How well two locations are tied together by roads or other links
Accessibility
How quickly and easily people in one location can interact with people in another location
Direction
north,south,east,west,up,down,left,right
Patterns
General arrangements of things being studied
Absolute Distance
The distance that can be measured with a standard unit length, such as a mile or kilometer.
Elevation
The distance of features above sea-level
Distribution
A description of the pattern of where specific phenomenon are located
Clustered (Agglomerated) Distribution
Phenomena are arranged in a group or concentrated area
Linear Distribution
Phenomena arranged in a straight line
Dispersed Distribution
Phenomena spread out over a large area
Circular Distribution
Phenomena are equally spaced from a central point, forming a circle
Geometric Distribution
Phenomena are in a regular arrangement, such as the squares or blocks formed by roads in the Midwest
Random Distribution
Phenomena appear to have no order to their position
Landscape Analysis
The task of defining and describing landscapes
Field Observation
The act of physically visiting a location, place, or region and recording, firsthand, information there
Spatial Data
All of the information that can be tied to a specific locations.
Remote Sensing (Location)
Gathers information from satellites that orbit the earth or other craft above the atmosphere
Field Work
Observing and recording information on location, or in the field
Geovisualization
2D or 3D interactive maps that allow people to zoom in or out to see data in ways that was previously impossible
Global Positioning System (GPS)
GPS receivers on the earth's surface use the locations of multiple satellites to determine and record a receiver's exact location
Remote Sensing (Pictures)
The use of cameras or other sensors mounted on aircraft or satellites to collect digital images of the earth's surface.
Geographic Information System (GIS)
A computer system that stores, organizes, analyzes, and displays geographic data or geospatial data sets
Community-based solutions
Increase the likelihood of success because they create buy-in from local residents and are more likely to be culturally accepted
Spatial Approach
Considers the arrangement of the phenomena being studied across the surface of the earth
Space
The area between two or more phenomena or things
Location
Identifies where specific phenomena are located either on a grid system or relative to another location
Place
Refers to the specific human and physical characteristic of a location
Region
A group of places in the same area that share a characteristic
Site
The characteristics at the immediate location
Situation
The location of a place relative to its surroundings and its connectivity to other places
Sense of place
Humans perception of the characteristics of places
Toponyms
Place names
Time-space compression
The shrinking "time distance" between locations because of improved methods of transportation and communication
Spatial Interaction
The contact, movement, and flow of things between locations
Flow
Patterns and movement of ideas, people, product, and other phenomena
Friction of distance
When things are farther apart, they tend to be less connected
Spatial Association
Matching patterns of distribution
Human Environment Interaction
The connection and exchange between humans and the natural world
Natural Resources
Includes items that occur in the natural environment that people can use
Renewable Natural Resources
Unlimited and will not be depleted based on use by people
Non-renewable Natural Resources
Limited and can be exhausted by human uses
Sustainability
Trying to use resources now in ways that will allow their use in the future while minimizing negative impacts on the environment
Land use
The study of how land is utilized, modified, and organized by people
Built Environment
The physical artifacts that humans have created that form part of the landscape
Cultural Landscape
Anything built by humans
Cultural Ecology
The study of how humans adapt to the environment
Environmental Determinism
The belief that climate and land-forms are the most powerful force shaping human behavior
Possibilism
A view that focuses more on the role that human culture plays
Geographic Scale
Refers to the area of the world being studied
Global Scale
Map of the entire planet, showing data that covers the whole world
World Regional Scale
Multiple countries of the world
National Scale
One country
National Regional Scale
A portion of a country or a region/s within a country
Local Scale
A province, state, city, county, or neighborhood
Aggregation
When geographers organize data into different scales such as by census tract, city, county, or country
False conclusion
Inaccurate generalizations that are not supported by the data or logical reasoning.
Regions
Have boundaries, unifying characteristics, cover space, and are created by people
Formal Regions
Must have 1 or more trait: Political, Physical, Cultural, or Economical
Functional Regions
Regions organized around a focal point and are defined by an activity
Perceptual Regions
Defined by the informal sense of place that people ascribe to them
Sub-regions
Smaller areas, shares some characteristics but is distinctive
Note 
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