AP Human Geography Ultimate Guide (copy)

Space

The geometric surface of the Earth.

Activity Space

The area wherein activity occurs on a daily basis.

Place

An area of bounded space of some human importance.

Toponym

A place-name assigned to a location when human importance is recognized.

Region

A type of place, categorized into formal, functional, and vernacular.

Sequent Occupancy

The successive use of a specific location over time leading to various cultural influences.

Scale

The relationship of an object or place to the Earth as a whole.

Formal Region

An area of bounded space that possesses some homogeneous characteristic.

Cultural Region

Regions with fuzzy borders that may overlap.

Ecotone

The environmental transition zone between two bioregions.

Functional Region

An area with a central place or node that expresses some practical purpose.

Intervening Opportunity

An attraction at a shorter distance that takes precedence over farther attractions.

Vernacular Region

A region based upon the perception or collective mental map of its residents.

Absolute Location

Defines a point on the map using coordinates such as latitude and longitude.

Relative Location

Refers to the location of a place compared to a known location.

Site

The physical characteristics of a place.

Situation

The place's interrelatedness with other locations.

Linear Absolute Distance

Distance measured in linear units such as miles or kilometers.

Distance Decay

The principle that as distance increases, the interaction between two places decreases.

Tobler's Law

States that all places are interrelated, but closer places are more related than those further away.

Friction of Distance

The longer the distance, the more it inhibits interaction.

Space-Time Compression

Decreased time and relative distance between places due to technology.

Centripetal Forces

Factors that hold together the social and political fabric of the state.

Centrifugal Forces

Factors that tear apart the social and political fabric of the state.

Gentrification

The economic reinvestment in existing real estate, often displacing low-income residents.

Urbanization

The population shift from rural to urban areas.

Megacity

A metropolitan area with more than 10 million people.

Urban Model

A framework for understanding the structure and function of urban areas.

Bid-Rent Curve

A model showing how real estate prices vary with distance from the city center.

Agriculture

The practice of cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising animals for food.

Cash Cropping

A form of extensive agriculture where harvested crops are exchanged for currency.

Subsistence Agriculture

Agriculture that provides for the needs of a household.

Primary Sector

Economic activity involved in the extraction of natural resources.

Secondary Sector

Economic activity related to manufacturing and processing primary products.

Tertiary Sector

Economic activity concerning services rather than goods.

Quinary Sector

Economic activity involving high-level decision making.

Urban Heat Island Effect

An urban area that is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to human activities.

Central Business District (CBD)

The commercial heart of a city, typically characterized by a high concentration of businesses and high land values.