Unit 1 Geography Practice Flashcards

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards derived from the lecture material covering mapping terminology, geographic features, lines of coordinate systems, the Five Themes of Geography, and vocabulary words.

Geography

The study of Earth's physical features, people, places, and how they interact, as well as the distribution and interaction of physical and human features on Earth (from Greek root 'geo' for earth and 'graphy' for description).

Cartographer

A person who creates or draws maps.

Physical map

A map that shows natural features such as mountains, rivers, lakes, and elevation.

Political map

A map that shows boundaries and locations of countries, states, cities, and other political areas.

Qualitative maps

A map that shows information using colors, patterns, or other categories rather than numerical measurements.

Cartograms

A map that changes the size or shape of areas to represent a particular type of data.

Topographic map

A map that uses lines to show changes in elevation and the shape of the land.

Globe

A three-dimensional model of Earth.

Map

A representation of an area of Earth's surface that shows where places and features are located.

Map projection

A representation of Earth's curved surface on a flat map.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

A computer-based system used to collect, store, analyze, and display geographic information.

Landsat

A collection of images of Earth taken from satellites, commonly used to study Earth's surface.

Title

The name or heading that tells what a map is about.

Compass rose

A device or diagram on a map that shows directions such as north, south, east, and west.

Scale

The relationship between distances on a map and actual distances on Earth.

Legend

A guide that explains the meaning of symbols and colors used on a map.

Symbols

A map feature that uses pictures, shapes, or marks to represent real-world features.

Labels

Words or text placed on a map to identify places or features.

Absolute location

The exact position or place on Earth where a geographic feature is found, usually given using coordinates such as latitude and longitude.

Relative location

The location of a place described in comparison or relation to another place around it.

Hemisphere

Each half of the globe, or a portion of Earth divided into two equal halves.

Equator

The imaginary line at $0^\text{o}$ latitude that divides Earth into the Northern and Southern (north and south) Hemispheres.

Prime meridian

The imaginary line at $0^\text{o}$ longitude (also called Greenwhich meridian) that divides Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

Lines of latitude

Lines that run east-west (side to side) and measure distance north or south of the Equator.

Lines of longitude

Lines that run north-south (up and down) and measure distance east or west of the Prime Meridian.

Location

One of the Five Themes of Geography asking 'where is it?', classified as absolute or relative.

Place

One of the Five Themes of Geography asking 'what is it like?' to describe features of a locale.

Region

An area of Earth's surface with similar characteristics; types include formal, functional, and perceptual.

Movement

One of the Five Themes of Geography asking 'how do people, goods, and ideas move from one location to another?'

Human Environment Interaction

One of the Five Themes of Geography focusing on how people relate to and interact with the physical world.

Bastion

A stronghold or fortified structure.

Effulgence

Brilliant radiance or brightness.

Furtive

Expressing secrecy or done by stealth.

Specious

Superficially plausible, but actually wrong or misleading.