Unit 1

Physical Geography

the study of the spatial characteristics of various elements of the physical enviornment

Human Geography

the study of the spatial characteristics of humans and human activity

Four-level Analysis

A spatial framework consisting of four levels to assist in thinking like a geographer

Analyze

To break down into parts and study each part carefully

Theory

A system of ideas and concepts that attempt to explain and prove

Concepts

Key vocabulary, ideas, and building blocks that geographers use to describe our world

Processes

A series of steps or actions that explain why or how geographic patterns occur

Models

Representations of reality or theories about reality

Spatial models

Look like stylized maps, and they illustrate theories about spatial distributions

Nonspatial models

Illustrates theories and concepts using words, graphs, or tables

Time-distance decay

Decreasing interactions and connections as distance increases

Spatial patterns

General arrangements of things being studied

Networks

A set of interconnected entities (nodes)

Quantitative data

Any information that can be measured and recorded using numbers

Qualitative

Not represented by numbers. Collected by interviews, photographs, remote satellite images, and descriptions or cartoons.

Geospatial Data

Quantitative and spatial, it has a geographic location component to it.

Scales of analysis

Looking at topics at the local, regional, country, or global scale

Reference maps

Maps that show the absolute location of places and geographic features determined by a frame of reference, typically latitude and longitude

Political maps

Show and label human-created boundaries and designations, such as countries, states, cities, and capitals

Physical maps

Show and label natural features, such as mountains, rivers, and deserts

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

Chloropleth maps

Maps that use colors to show location

Dot distribution maps

Maps that use dots to show location

Graduated symbol map

Maps that use symbols of different sizes to indicate different amounts of something

Isoline maps

Maps that use lines to connect points

Topographic maps

Maps that connects points of equal elevation and makes contours

Cartogram

Maps that changes size of countries to compare something

Scale

Ratio between real world vs. on the map

Cartographic scale

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

Absolute location

The precise spot where something is according to some system

Latitude

Distance north or south of the equator

Longitude

Distance east or west of the prime meridian

Equator

An imaginary line that circles the globe halfway between the north and south poles

Prime Meridian

An imaginary line that runs from pole to pole through Greenwich, England

International Date Line

Roughly follows the prime meridian but makes deviations to accommodate international boundaries

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

Direction

north,south,east,west,up,down,left,right

Patterns

General arrangements of things being studied

Absolute Distance

The distance that can be measured with a standard unit length, such as a mile or kilometer.

Elevation

The distance of features above sea-level

Distribution

A description of the pattern of where specific phenomenon are located

Clustered (Agglomerated) Distribution

Phenomena are arranged in a group or concentrated area

Linear Distribution

Phenomena arranged in a straight line

Dispersed Distribution

Phenomena spread out over a large area

Circular Distribution

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

Geometric Distribution

Phenomena are in a regular arrangement, such as the squares or blocks formed by roads in the Midwest

Random Distribution

Phenomena appear to have no order to their position

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 a specific locations.

Remote Sensing (Location)

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

Field Work

Observing and recording information on location, or in the field

Geovisualization

2D or 3D interactive maps that allow people to zoom in or out to see data in ways that was previously impossible

Global Positioning System (GPS)

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

Remote Sensing (Pictures)

The use of cameras or other sensors mounted on aircraft or satellites to collect digital images of the earth's surface.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

A computer system that stores, organizes, analyzes, and displays geographic data or geospatial data sets

Community-based solutions

Increase the likelihood of success because they create buy-in from local residents and are more likely to be culturally accepted

Spatial Approach

Considers the arrangement of the phenomena being studied across the surface of the earth

Space

The area between two or more phenomena or things

Location

Identifies where specific phenomena are located either on a grid system or relative to another location

Place

Refers to the specific human and physical characteristic of a location

Region

A group of places in the same area that share a characteristic

Site

The characteristics at the immediate location

Situation

The location of a place relative to its surroundings and its connectivity to other places

Sense of place

Humans perception of the characteristics of places

Toponyms

Place names

Time-space compression

The shrinking "time distance" between locations because of improved methods of transportation and communication

Spatial Interaction

The contact, movement, and flow of things between locations

Flow

Patterns and movement of ideas, people, product, and other phenomena

Friction of distance

When things are farther apart, they tend to be less connected

Spatial Association

Matching patterns of distribution

Human Environment Interaction

The connection and exchange between humans and the natural world

Natural Resources

Includes items that occur in the natural environment that people can use

Renewable Natural Resources

Unlimited and will not be depleted based on use by people

Non-renewable Natural Resources

Limited and can be exhausted by human uses

Sustainability

Trying to use resources now in ways that will 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

The physical artifacts that humans have created 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 climate and land-forms are the most powerful force shaping human behavior

Possibilism

A view that focuses more on the role that human culture plays

Geographic Scale

Refers to the area of the world being studied

Global Scale

Map of the entire planet, showing data that covers the whole world

World Regional Scale

Multiple countries of the world

National Scale

One country

National Regional Scale

A portion of a country or a region/s within a country

Local Scale

A province, state, city, county, or neighborhood

Aggregation

When geographers organize data into different scales such as by census tract, city, county, or country

False conclusion

Inaccurate generalizations that are not supported by the data or logical reasoning.

Regions

Have boundaries, unifying characteristics, cover space, and are created by people

Formal Regions

Must have 1 or more trait: Political, Physical, Cultural, or Economical

Functional Regions

Regions organized around a focal point and are defined by an activity

Perceptual Regions

Defined by the informal sense of place that people ascribe to them

Sub-regions

Smaller areas, shares some characteristics but is distinctive