aphg unit 1 vocab

absolute location

the exact location of a place on earth, given in longitude and latitude

relative location

a location described in relation to another place

distance decay

the idea that the farther something is from a place, the less interaction it has with that place

time-space compression

the reduction of time it takes to interact across distances due to technology

geographic information system (GIS)

a computer system that analyzes and displays geographic data using layers

global positioning system (GPS)

a satellite-based system that provides absolute locations

remote-sensing

collecting data about earth’s surface from satellites or aircraft

scale

the level of representation on a map; local, national, regional, global

cartography

the science and art of making maps

site

the physical characteristics of a place (climate, soil, water sources)

situation

the location of a place relative to its surroundings

toponym

the name given to a place

environmental determinism

the outdated idea that physical geography shapes human behavior and culture

possibilism

the belief that while the environment influences humans, people can adjust and modify it

sustainability

the use of resources in a way that ensures availability for future generations

cultural landscape

the visible imprint of human activity on the landscape (cities, roads, farms)

formal region

an area where everyone shares one or more distinctive traits (a country)

functional region

an area organized around a central hub or node (a metropolitan area around a city)

(perceptual) vernacular region

an area based on people’s perception rather than formal boundaries

spatial distribution

the arrangement of something across earth’s surface

concentration

the spread of a feature over space (clustered, dispersed, linear)

density

the number of things (people, houses) in a given space

pattern

the geometric arrangement of objects in space (grid-like cities)

globalization

the increasing connectivity of the world through culture, trade, and communication

diffusion

the process by which something spreads from one place to another

relocation diffusion

the spread of a feature through movement of people

expansion diffusion

the spread of a feature without physical movement

hierarchical diffusion

the spread of an idea from powerful people or places first (fashion trends)

contagious diffusion

the rapid, widespread diffusion of a characteristic throughout the population (viral videos)

stimulus diffusion

the spread of an idea, even if a specific characteristic doesn’t spread (mcdonald’s adapting menus in different countries)