Midterm test

World Cultures

Physical Geography

Study of natural processes and the distribution of features in the enviorment.

Human Geography

How humans understand, use and alter Earth. Humans organize themselves socially, politically, and economically.

Spatial Perspective

Refers to where something occurs, where something is located, and why.

Ecological Perspective

Refers to the relationships between living things and their enviorment.

Location

The position that a point or object occupies on Earth.

Relative Location

A description of where a place is, in relation to other places or features.

Absolute Location

Exact location of an object. Usually in coordinates but can also be an address.

Place

Differs from location. A place is a location on earth distinguished by its physical or human characteristics. (Unique aspects of it not just boring regular stuff)

Site

Refers to a place’s absolute location as well as its physical characteristics.

Situation

Refers to a place’s location in relation to places or its surrounding features.

Space

Refers to the area between two or more things on Earth’s surface, studying the ways in which things are distributed, or arranged within a given space.

Density

Number of things — people, animals, or objects in a specific area.

Pattern

How things are arranged in a particular space. It’s another factor of distribution.

Enviormental Determinism

Argues that human behavior is largely controlled by the physical environment. Geographers kind of agree with. It is partially correct.

Possibilism

Modern geographers favor this more. It argues that humans have more ability to produce a result rather than what enviormental determinism says.

Sustainability

The use of earth’s land and natural resources in a ways that ensure they will be available to use in the future.

Distance Decay

more space between two things = Less of a connection/communication.

Time Space Compression

Process that causes the time travel from one place to another reduce. (e.g. new technologies such as faster airplanes.)

Coordinates.

• In coordinates, latitude (N/S) comes first

• Lattitude is vertical (N/S)

• Longitude is horizontal (W/E)

Scale

Different from scale on a map. Scale refers to the area of the world being studied.

Formal region

An area that has one or more shared traits. It is also referred to as a uniform region. The shared characteristic can be physical, cultural, or a combination.

Functional Region

A functional region is defined as an area organized by its function around a focal point or the center of interest or activity,

Focal Point/Node

Also called a node. They often serve a purpose to a city, political, social or economic. (e.g. the DFW Metroplex’s node is downtown dallas or forth worth .)

Suburbs

Residential areas surrounding a cit

Perceptual or Vernacular Region

A type of region that reflect people’s feelings and attitude about that place. This type of region does not have an agreed upon set boundary so it can change based on others’ opinions about it.

Globalization

The expansion of economic, cultural, and political processes on a worldwide scale.

Theory

A system of ideas intended to explain certain phenomena.

World System Theory

A theory giving countries different classifications based on their development. Periphery, Semi-Periphery, and Core being the most developed.

Geographics info

Any data with a location tied to it.

Quantitative

Measured by numbers

Qualitative

Interpretations of data sources.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

Captures, stores, organizes, and displays geographic data that can be used to configure both simple and complex maps.

Topography

The shape and feautre of land surfaces.

Geospatial technologies

Collect and analyze immense amounts of data- Data accesible to enyone with anyone with an internet connection.

Remote sensing

When you find the absolute location of something from far away like a satelite.

Cartographers

creates maps to help explorers follow the refugees of those who cam before they they can and to estemate how long it might take to travel to uncharted bassis

Absolute Distance

A distance that can be measured using a standard unit of legnth

Relative distance

Measured in terms of a criteria such as time or money.

Absolute Direction

Cardinal Directions NESW

Relative Direction

Left Right Up Down (People’s perceptions.