Unit 1: Thinking Geographically

Space

The geometric surface of the Earth.

Activity Space

The area where daily activities occur.

Place

A bounded area of human importance.

Sequent Occupancy

Succession of cultural influences in a place's history.

Scale

Relationship of an object or place to the Earth.

Regions

Categorized into formal, functional, and vernacular.

Absolute Location

Defines a point using coordinates like latitude and longitude.

Time Zones

Divided into 15-degree longitudinal zones.

Site and Situation

Locational concepts describing physical characteristics and interrelatedness.

Distance Decay

Interaction decreases with distance from a place of origin.

Central Places

Nodes of human activity, centers of economic exchange.

Core and Periphery

Relationships in regional, cultural, economic, and political phenomena.

Diffusion Patterns

Ways in which human phenomena spread spatially.

Geographic Tools

Scientific maps, types of maps, and mental maps.

Map Scale

Representation of distance on maps.

Projections

Different methods affecting size and shape accuracy.

Models

Abstract generalizations of real-world geographies.

Geographic Technology

GIS, GPS, aerial photography, and remote sensing.