Unit 1: Thinking Geographically Flashcards

Flashcards about Unit 1: Thinking Geographically

Reference Maps

Maps made for people to find general information about places.

Thematic Maps

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

Choropleth Maps

Maps that use colors/shades or patterns to show the location and distribution of spatial data.

Dot Distribution Maps

Maps that show the specific location of distribution of something across a map using dots/symbols.

Graduated/Proportional Symbol Maps

Maps that use different sized symbols to indicate an amount of something (Bigger=More, Smaller=Less).

Isoline Maps

Maps that use lines to connect points of equal value.

Cartogram Maps

Maps that distort sizes of countries to show a statistic.

Scale

The ratio between things on a map compared to the real world.

Small Scale Maps

Shows a large area with little detail.

Large Scale Maps

Shows a small area with greater detail.

Spatial Patterns

The general arrangement of phenomena on a map.

Absolute Location

Uses longitude and latitude to determine precise location.

Relative Location

Describes a location in relation to things around it.

Absolute Distance

Exact measurement using feet, miles, etc.

Elevation

Distance above sea level.

Clustered/Agglomerated Distribution

Concentrated area.

Linear Distribution

Along a line.

Dispersed Distribution

Spread over a large area.

Circular Distribution

Equally spaced from a central point.

Projections

How an area is translated onto a map.

Mercator Projection

Designed for navigation because of accurate direct and shape but distorts size of land masses to be larger than they are.

Landscape Analysis

The task of defining and describing landscapes.

Field Observation

The act of physically going to a location and recording information.

Spatial Data

All the information that can be tied to a specific location.

Remote Sensing

Using satellites to gather information via the Earth’s atmosphere.

Aerial Photography

Images taken from planes within the atmosphere.

Geospatial Data

Quantitative or qualitative data that is gathered by an organization or individual.

Geo-Visualizations

Digital 2-D or 3-D interactive maps.

Spatial Approach

The arrangement of the phenomena being studied across the surface of the earth.

Space (in geography)

The area between two or more phenomena or things.

Location (in geography)

Identifies where specific phenomena are located using either a grid of relative to another location.

Place (in geography)

The specific human and physical characteristics of a location.

Site (in geography)

Characteristics at the immediate location.

Situation (in geography)

Relative to its surroundings and connectivity to other places.

Sense of Place

A individual’s perception of a place based on personal beliefs

Toponyms

The name of a place.

Time-Space Compression

The shrinking of “time-distance” or relative distance between locations because of advances in technology.

Spatial Interaction

The contact, movement, and flow of things between locations.

Friction of Distance

When things are far apart, they are less connected.

Distance Decay

The inverse relationship between distance and connection.

Patterns (in geography)

General arrangement of things being studied.

Distribution (in geography)

The way a phenomenon is spread out or arranged over an area to describe patterns.

Spatial Association

Matching patterns of distribution, indicates two or more phenomena could be connected.

Human-Environmental Interaction

The connection and exchange between humans and the natural world.

Natural Resource

Items that occur in the natural environment that people use.

Renewable Resource

Theoretically unlimited resources that will not deplete by human use.

Non-Renewable Resource

Limited resources that can be depleted by human use.

Sustainability

Trying to use resources now in ways that allow their use in the future while minimizing negative impacts on the environment.

Land Use

The study of how land is utilized, modified, and organized by people.

Built Environment

Physical artifacts that humans have created and that form part of the landscape.

Cultural Landscape

Anything built by humans.

Cultural Ecology

The study of how humans adapt to the environment.

Environmental Determinism

The belief that landforms and climate are the most powerful force shaping human behavior and societal/cultural development.

Possibilism

The belief that acknowledges limits from the natural environment and focuses on the role of human culture to modify the environment to better fit their needs.

Scale of Analysis

Level of generalization, allows geographers to look at the local, regional, country, or global scale.

Local Scale

Smallest scale, around 1,000-8,000 people.

Regional Scale

Studies a region.

National/Country Scale

Studies a whole country.

Global Scale

Studies the whole world by contrasting countries or continents.

Geographic/Relative Scale

The area of the world being studied.

Aggregation

When geographers organize data into different scales which allow it to be more easily mapped/organized on a chart of graph.

Regions

Contain boundaries, unifying characteristics, cover space, and are made by people.

Formal/Uniform Regions

United by one or more unifying characteristics.

Functional/Nodal Regions

Organized around a focal point and are defined by an activity that occurs across the region.

Vernacular/Perceptual Regions

Boundaries depend on an individual’s sense of place.

Subregion

Smaller areas in regions, have distinctive characteristics that set them apart from the greater region.