Geography Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from the lecture notes.

Physical geography

The study of the spatial characteristics of various elements of the physical environment.

Human geography

The study of the spatial characteristics of humans and human activities.

Models (in geography)

Representations of reality or theories about reality used to help geographers see general spatial patterns and understand variations from place to place.

Spatial models

Illustrate theories about spatial distributions, resembling stylized maps.

Nonspatial models

Illustrate theories and concepts using words, graphs, or tables, often depicting changes over time.

Time-distance decay

The idea that things near each other are more closely connected or related than things that are far apart.

Spatial patterns

The general arrangement of things being studied.

Reference maps

Maps designed for people to refer to for general information about places.

Political maps

Show and label human-created boundaries and designations.

Physical maps

Show and label natural features.

Road maps

Show and label highways, streets, and alleys.

Plat maps

Show and label property lines and details of land ownership.

Thematic maps

Maps that show spatial aspects of information or of a phenomenon.

Choropleth maps

Use various colors, shades of one color, or patterns to show the location and distribution of spatial data.

Dot distribution maps

Used to show the specific location and distribution of something across a map, where each dot represents a specified quantity.

Graduated symbol maps

Use symbols of different sizes to indicate different amounts of something.

Isoline maps

Use lines that connect points of equal value to depict variations in the data across space.

Topographic maps

Isoline maps that connect points of equal elevation.

Cartogram

Maps in which the sizes of countries are shown according to some specific statistic.

Scale

The ratio between the size of things in the real world and the size of those same things on the map.

Cartographic scale

Refers to the way the map communicates the ratio of its size to the size of what it represents.

Small-scale maps

Show a larger amount of area with less detail.

Large-scale maps

Show a smaller amount of area with a greater amount of detail.

Absolute location

The precise spot where something is according to a system, often using latitude and longitude.

Latitude

The distance north or south of the equator.

Equator

The imaginary line that circles the globe exactly halfway between the North and South Poles, designated as 0 degrees.

Longitude

The distance east or west of the prime meridian.

Prime meridian

The imaginary line that runs from pole to pole through Greenwich, England, designated as 0 degrees.

Relative location

A description of where something is in relation to other things.

Connectivity

How well two locations are tied together by roads or other links.

Accessibility

How quickly and easily people in one location can interact with people in another location.

Absolute distance

A measurement of how far or how near things are to one another, usually in terms of feet, miles, meters, or kilometers.

Relative distance

Indicates the degree of nearness based on time or money and is often dependent on the mode of travel.

Elevation

The distance of features above sea level, usually measured in feet or meters.

Distribution

The way a phenomenon is spread out over an area.

Clustered or agglomerated

Phenomena arranged in a group or concentrated area.

Linear

Phenomena arranged in a straight line.

Dispersed

Phenomena spread out over a large area.

Circular

Phenomena equally spaced from a central point, forming a circle.

Geometric

Phenomena in a regular arrangement, such as squares or blocks.

Random

Phenomena that appear to have no order to their position.

Map projection

The process of showing a curved surface on a flat surface, which inevitably distorts some aspect of reality.

Landscape analysis

The task of defining and describing landscapes.

Field observation

The act of physically visiting a location, place, or region and recording, firsthand, information there.

Spatial data

All of the information that can be tied to specific locations.

Remote sensing

Gathers information from satellites that orbit the earth or other craft above the atmosphere..

Aerial photography

Professional images captured from planes within the atmosphere.

Geospatial data

Includes all information that can be tied to a specific place.

Fieldwork

Observing and recording information on location, or in the field.

Geovisualizations

Amazing 2D or even 3D interactive maps that allow people to zoom in or out to see the data in ways that were previously impossible.

Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

GPS receivers on the earth's surface use the locations of multiple satellites to determine and record a receiver's exact location

Geographic Information System (GIS)

Computer system that can store, analyze, and display information from multiple digital maps or geospatial data sets

Community-based solutions

Solutions developed with the involvement and support of local residents, increasing the likelihood of cultural acceptance and success.