AP Human Geography Unit 1.1 - 1.3 study guide

International Date Line

Boundary between one day calendar and the next

Maps

2D models of the Earth’s surface

Political maps

Illustrates boundaries

Projections

Earth’s spherical shape causes distortion when drawing it on a flat piece of paper

Four types of distortion

Shape, Distance, Relative size, Direction

Mercator

A map projection that is useful for navigation because the lines connecting points on the map represent the true compass direction; however landmassess become increasingly distorted the farther away they are from the equator

Goode Homolosine Projection

A map projection that avoids shape distortion and the restrictions of a rectangular map by creating "interruptions" in the map's continuity; in each section, map projection regions are shown "equally" like an orange peel being laid out in a flat surface

Scale of Analysis

Refer to the amount of detail included in the map and the size of the units

Large scale maps

Show a small area with a lot of detail

Small scale maps

Show a large area with less detail

Physical maps

Illustrate physical features

Prime Meridian

Point where all time sones begin and end; 0 degrees longitude

Road maps

Used to show where roads

Choropleth

A thematic map that shows data aggregated for a specific geographic area, often using different colors to represent different values

Graduated symbol

**It shows a difference in mapped features by varying the sizes of symbols**

Isoline

On a map, a line that connects or links different places k that share a common or equal value such as elevation

Flow line

Used when the cartographer wants to show what kind of (qualitative) or how much (quantitative) movement there is between two places

Graphic Information Systems (GIS)

A computer system that analyzes layers of data geographically. It’s a computer system for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on Earth's surface

Aerial Photography

Taking photos from an aircraft

Field Observations

Learning and doing research involving first-hand experience, which takes place outside the classroom setting

Qualitative Data

Data based on opinions

Quantitative Data

Data based on numbers

Census

The census is a process of collecting, compiling, and publishing data about the population and housing of a country or region

Absolute Direction

Absolute directions are relative to a fixed frame of reference and always point in the same direction, regardless of their location. Directions like north/south and east/west are examples of absolute direction.

Absolute Distance

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

Activity Space

Where a person goes and what he or she does on a day-to-day basis

Cartogram

A map that distorts the geographic shape of an area in order to show the size of a specific variable the __larger the area__ on a cartogram, the l__arger the value of the underlying variable__

Cluster

A number of similar things grouped together

Compass Rose

A drawing, usually found on the edge of a map, showing the four cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west) and the map's orientation

Dot Density/Distribution Map

A map that uses __dots to represent objects or counts__; the dot can represent one object (a one-to-one dot density map) or it can represent a number of objects (a one-to-many dot density map)

Elevation

Distance above sea level

Global Positioning System (GPS)

A system of 24 satellites that orbit Earth twice daily and transmit radio signals Earthward; the basis for many map based-apps that provide directions on how to get from one place to another

Latitude

The (invisible) horizontal lines circling Earth parallel to the equator; latitude is the degree of distance north or south from the equator, which is at 0 degrees, as far as the poles, which are at 90 degrees

Longitude

The (invisible) vertical lines on Earth's surface that mark  imaginary circles connecting the North Pole with the South Pole

Map Scale

The distance on a map in relation to distance in actual space; for example, 1 inch on a map might indicate a distance of 100 miles

Map Symbols

Graphic elements that help organize the information in a map, such as (but not limited to) dots, stars, arrows, squares, and dotted lines

Mental Map

A personal representation of a portion of Earth's Surface

Peter’s Projection

A map projection that shows all landmassess with their true areas but distorts their shapes

Polar Projection

A map projection that looks down at Earth from the perspective of one of the poles (North or South)

Proportional or Graduated Circle Map

A map that uses symbols

Reference Map

A map that shows geographic locations on Earth's surface, such as the locations of cities or oceans

Relative Direction

A direction that can be described as position, such as in front of or behind, to the left or to the right

Relative Distance

A measurement of the level of social, cultural, or economic similarity between places despite their absolute distance from each other

Remote Sensing

The scanning of Earth by satellite or high-flying aircraft in order to obtain information about it

Robinson Projection:

A map projection that attempts to create the most visually appealing representation of Earth by keeping all types of distortion relatively low over most of the map

Satellite imagery

Images of Earth's surface gathered from sensors mounted on orbiting satellites; these sensors record in both the visible and nonvisible portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, allowing humans to view patterns and processes that are both visible and invisible to the naked eye

Space

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

Spatial Pattern

The placements or arrangement of objects on Earth's surface; also includes the space between those objects

**Spatial Perspectiv**e

A geographic perspective that seeks to identify and explain the uses of space

Thematic Map

A map that emphasizes the spatial patterns of geographic statistics or attributes, and sometimes the relationships between them

Topographic Map

A graphic representation of the three-dimensional configuration of Earth's surface