Unit 1 Geography

What is Geography?

The study of earth’s physical and human systems and their relationships.

What does ‘geo’ mean?

Earth

What does ‘graphy’ mean?

To write or record something

If God created the earth then Geography is…

The study of God

What are the three main questions of Geography?

What is where, Why there, and why care

What does ‘what is where‘ refer to?

The spacial location and distribution of physical or human things on the Earth

What does ‘why there‘ refer to?

Understands the processes, interactions and reasons behind why things are located where they are

What does ‘why care’ refer to?

Explores the human significance and impact of spacial patterns on our lives and environment

What are the two main branches of geography?

Physical and Human Geography

What does physical geography focus on?

Natural systems and landforms

What does human geography focus on?

Examines the human aspects of the world

How are physical and human geography intertwined?

Physical landscapes often include human activities and human activities can impact the environment majorly

What are some examples of physical geography?

Waterfalls, mountains, bodies of water

What are some examples of human geography?

Population, economy, cultures

What are some examples of physical and human geography intertwined?

Water access, crop choices, and economic adaptation

What are the five themes of geography?

Location, Movement, Place, Region, Human/Environmental Interactions

What are the two types of location?

Absolute and Relative Location

What is absolute location?

The point where two lines intersect - latitude and longitude

What is relative location?

Where something is in relation of something else - north of… across from…

What is place?

What it is like in a specific location

What is movement?

Asks how and why places are connected to each other

What is Region?

An area that shares common characteristics

What is Human/Environmental Interactions?

The relationship between people and their environment -how they work together

What is urban sprawl?

When a city grows outward and land begins to deplete

What is a hemisphere?

Half a sphere

What divides the North and South hemispheres?

The equator

What is the equator?

An imaginary line that divides the north and south hemispheres

What is the Prime Meridian

An imaginary line that divides the east and west hemispheres

Where does the prime meridian run through?

Greenwich, London

Which continent is in the most hemispheres?

Africa

What is a compass rose?

A compass rose shows directions and bearings

What are the four cardinal points?

North, East, South, West

What are the four ordinal points?

North-East, South-East, South-West, North-West

What is latitude and longitude?

A grid system used to find the precise location of places on earth

What are latitude lines also known as?

Parallels

Where is the starting point for latitude lines?

The equator

How far apart are the latitude lines?

111km apart

What are longitude lines know as?

Meridians

Where is the staring point for longitude lines?

Prime Meridian

Where are longitude lines drawn from?

The North to South pole

Other things to know about longitude lines?

Farther apart at the equator, longer than latitude lines

What are longitude lines used to determine?

Time zones

Which lines do we read first. Latitude or Longitude?

Latitude

Why are all flat maps wrong?

They all distort the earth in some way because you can’t flatten a sphere perfectly

Why can’t we use just one map?

Because each map is designed for a specific task

What is a map?

A map is a representation of earth’s features drawn on a flat surface

A map must have six things. What are they?

Title, Legend, Border, Scale, Direction, and Date of Publication

What are the three types of maps?

Thematic, topographic, and general purpose maps

What does a thematic map provide?

Provide very specific information about a place. Only one type of information is shown

What does a topographic map provide?

Uses symbols to show a variety of natural and human and featured

What does a general purpose map provide?

Many types of information on one map

Example of projections on a thematic map?

Temperature fluctuations and statistics

Example of projections on a topographic map?

It can show that a mountain is steep because its contour lines are close together

Example of projections on a general purpose map?

Bodies of water, roads and parks

Examples of some flat maps

Mercator, Gall-Peters, and Robinson

What does a Mercator distort and preserve?

It distorts the size of countries and preserve the shape and angles of places

What does the Gall-Peter distort and preserve?

It distorts the shape of countries but preserves the area and size

What is wrong with the Mercator projection?

Portrays Africa and Greenland as the same size but Africa is 14 times larger

The only way to accurately represent the earth is…

A globe

What is Qualitative data?

Data based on personal experience, descriptions and observations

What is Quantitative data?

Data based on numbers and statistics. This data is measurable

Who collects geographic data?

Governments, Businesses/Corporations, Scientists/Researchers, and Individuals

Why do government collect geographic data?

Population counts and disaster response

Why do businesses/corporations collect geographic data?

To choose store locations, target advertisements and track consumer movement

Why do researchers/scientists collect geographic data?

Environmental studies and public health

Why do individuals collect geographic data?

Social media influencers and field work research

What is a census?

A survey conducted by the government to count every person living in the country

Why does a census matter in geography?

Provides the number of people living in a certain area and collects information about age, income, housing, education and culture

What is a Geographic Information System (GIS)?

A computer system that captures, stores, anaylzes and displays spatial data

Why is GIS important?

It sees patterns and relationships, combines multiple layers of data into one mp, and helps geographers make decisions

What can GIS show?

Population Density, Flood risks, Pollution Levels, Road Networks, and School Zones

What is a Global Positioning System (GPS)?

A satellite based system that allows users to determine their exact location on earth

How does GPS work?

It works using signals from 4 or more satellites to track your location

How do we use GPS?

Apps, tracking deliveries, 911

What is Remote Sensing?

Collects information about the earth without making physical contact

What can remote sensing detect?

Changes in land use, natural disasters, and climate data

Who would use remote sensing?

Governments, NASA, Google Earth

What is space?

A physical location with coordinates

What is a place?

A space that has meaning, emotion and personal significance

What is place attachment?

The emotional bond between people and specific locations

What is a sense of place?

Unique characteristics that make a place meaningful

What does a sense of place include?

Human, Physical and Perceptual Elements