World Geography chapter 1

Relative Location

Where one place is in comparison to other place; Cardinal Directions; Visual Descriptions

Absolute Location

The exact location; Latitude and Longitude; Address

Latitude

distance north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees

Longitude

Distance east or west of the prime meridian, measured in degrees

Space

The physical gap or interval between two objects

Connections

relationships among people and objects across the barrier of space

Place

A specific point on Earth distinguished by a particular characteristic

Direction

what the compass rose shows on a map

Region

an area of Earth distinguished by a distinctive combination of cultural and physical features

The key or legend

the important information needed to be able to understand the map

The map grid

set of vertical and horizontal lines overlaid on the map

Map Index

helps the map reader find a specific location

Scale

an item that shows how the distance on the map compares to the distance in the real world

Symbols and Labels

help the reader to identify important locations or information on a map.

Analysis

Examining details to discover or reveal something new

graduated symbol map

A map with symbols that change in size according to the value of the attribute they represent.

Dot Density Map

A map that uses dots to represent the frequency of a variable in a given area

Isoline Map

Map displaying lines that connect points of equal value

Choropleth Map

A map that uses colors to represent data

Cartogram Map

A map in which the size is distorted in order to represent data

linear distance

how far across the earth a person, idea, or product travels

Time Distance

the amount of time it takes for a person, an idea, or a product to travel

Psychological distance

the way people view distance

Formal region

A region defined by related characteristics

Functional Region

A region defined by the particular set of activities or interactions that occur within it

Perceptual Region

A region defined by which people perceive or see the characteristics of the region in the same way

Human Environment Interaction

How people use, adapt to, and modify the environment to their needs.

The first layer of the earth

crust

The second layer of the earth

mantle

The third layer of the earth

outer core

The fourth layer of the earth

inner core

Atmosphere

layer of gases surrounding the earth

Lithosphere

the solid rock portion of the earth's surface

Hydrosphere

All the water on earth

Biosphere

the part of Earth where life exists

Currents

Large streams of water that flow through the ocean.

Waves

swells or ridges produced by winds

Tides

the regular rise and fall of the ocean's surface influenced by the moon's gravity pulling on earth

Lakes

Majority of Earth's Water

Largest freshwater lake on earth

Lake Baikal in Russia

Rivers/Streams

water flowing in a channel to or from larger bodies of water

Drainage basin

area drained by rivers and streams

Groundwater

water beneath the surface of the earth held by soil

Water table

the level at which the rock is saturated with water

Hydrologic cycle

continuous circulation of water between the atmosphere, oceans and earth

GIS

System or a tool used to display and analyze data concerning a given position on Earth's surface.

Tectonic Plates

enormous moving pieces of the earth's lithosphere

Earthquakes

Violent movement of the earth

Seismograph

a special device used to measure the earthquake

Focus

where an earthquake begins

Epicenter

point directly above where the focus of an earthquake

Richter scale

determines the strength of the earthquake

Ring of Fire

A zone around the rim of the pacific ocean, location of the vast majority of active volcanoes and earthquakes.

Why does the ring of fire have so many earthquakes and volcanos?

Eight tectonic plates meet there

Weathering

physical and chemical processes that change the characteristics of rock on or near the earth's surface.

Mechanical Weathering

Processes that break rock into smaller pieces

Erosion

Occurs when weathered material is moved by action of wind, water, ice or gravity

Water erosion

deltas (from deposits) and other landforms

Wind erosion

Sand Dunes, deposits of loess

Glacial erosion

glaciation results in moraines or a ridge/hill created from rocks left behind by glaciers

Internal Forces

earthquakes and volcanoes

External Forces

weathering and erosion

5 factors of soil formation

Parent material, Relief, Organisms, Climate, and Time