Why is Geography a Science - GEOG 100

Ch. 1 1-1.11 Page 4-25

Geography

The study of where things are found on Earth’s surface and the reasons for their locations

Place

Specific point on earth distinguished by a particular characteristic that contains a unique aspect of it

Region

Area of earth defined by a few characteristics in its geography

Scale

relationship between the portion of Earth being studied and Earth as a whole.

Space

physical gap, interval between two objects

connection

Relations created among people and objects that develop

Map

2d model of a selected portion of the earth

cartography

scale model reference drawing or recreation of the geography, often using computers and satellite imagery

Geographic Information Science (GIScience)

analysis of data on the earth from satellite and other data capture devices

Geographic information system (GIS)

Captures, stores, queries and displays collected geographic data. Produces maps that are more accurate than made with hand, stored through many layers of data.

Photogrammetry

the science taking measurements of the Earth’s surface via photographs

Remote Sensing

obtaining data about the earth’s surface from satellites or photogrammery

Global Positioning System (GPS)

Precise position of something on earth

Geotagging

Identification and storage of a piece of information via latitude and longitude

Volunteered geographic information (VGI)

contributed geo data from volunteers

citizen science

broad term for vgi by up and coming scientists

participatory GIS (PGIS)

community based mapping where they collect and leverage local knowledge and information through electronic devices (ex.openstreetmap)

mashup

map that overlays data on top of a map by another provider (google maps API + streetview)

Thales of Miletus

Applied principles of geometry to measure land area

Anaximander

contstructed a world map like a sailor

pythagoras

may be one to first propose the spherical world

hecateus

may be one to produce the first geography book (Periodos Ges)

aristotle

first to demonstrate earth was a sphere

eratosthenes

founder of the word ‘geography', accepted earth roundiness and calculated its circumference

Strabo

described the known world titled geography

ptolemy

wrote ‘guide to geography’

Yu Gong

describing economic resources of country’s different provinces

pei xiu

father of chinese cartography, produced elaborate map of the country

choropleth map

map where recognizable areas are shaded or patterned in proportion to the data collected.

graduated symbol map

displays graphic that changes in size according to its value (bigger - Larger #)

dot distribution map

data on a map that shows the way its clustered together or spread out over a map

isoline map

connects lines with all places with similar values

Cartogram

map size of a particular highlighted parcel is proportioned to the value of its data (smaller size-smaller #)

Meridian

arc drawn between north and south pole

longitude

vertical lines on the glove that tells us where on the globe the place is

latitude

the horizontal lines on the globe that tells us where on the globe the place is

coordinated universial time (UTC)

the time at the prime meridian as a reference for all the times in the world

map scale

relationship between feature size on a map and its actual size on earth, usually accounted through a ratio, written, or graphic

projection

transferring the earth’s spherical object as a flat map

toponym

name given to a place on the earth

cultural landscape

combination of cultural features of varying characteristics

Formal/uniform Region

area most people share one or more characteristics

functional region

area organized around a node or focal point

vernacular region

area where people believe it is culturally tied