Unit 1 Vocab

Absolute Direction

the exact direction you are heading

Absolute Distance - what is it measured in?

The exact distance between two places - miles or km

Absolute Location

the exact spot where something is located

Relative Direction

the direction depends on the surrounding area

Relative Distance - what is it measured in?

an approximate measurement between two places - time and distance

Relative Location

a description of a location using surrounding geographic features

Reference Map - ex?

info map that shows boundaries, names of places, and geographic feature of an area ex: a Disneyland map

Thematic Map - ex?

displays spatial patterns of places and uses quantitative data to display specific topics - ex: choropleth map

Remote Sensing

a process of collecting info about the earths surface from satellites orbiting

Geographic Info System

computer system that can collect info about the earths surface from satellites orbiting

Qualitative

relating to the quality, or distinct characteristics of something rather than its numerical quantity or measured amount

Quantitative

relating to or measuring terms of measured quantities, amounts, or numbers

Distance Decay - larger the distance = more or less interaction?

the effect of distance on cultural or spatial interactions - larger the distance = less interaction

Time Space Compression - what does it counter?

the reduction of time it takes for something to get from one place to another - counters distance decay

Time Space Convergence - ex?

the process where the time it takes to travel or communicate between two places shrinks due to advancements in technology (ex: making cars so you can go faster from point a to b)

Spatial

relating to, occupying, or involving position, area, and size of things in space

Density

the amount of objects in an area

Site

the exact, internal physical and cultural characteristics of a specific place

Situation

the location of a place relative to other places, its surrounding environment, and its connectivity to broader regional or global network

Environmental Determination

the enviorment sets the possibilities for humans

Land Use - ex?

to describe how land has been changed to be used for a specific task - ex: farm land, agriculture

Formal Region - ex?

an area with common attributes - ex: Himalayan mt

Functional Region

an area organized around a center point, often based around activities, travel, or communication

Flow

the movement of people, food, and info from one place to another

Globalization

the expansion of economic, cultural, and political processes on a global scale

Global Positioning System (GPS)

a network of satellites that determines the exact mathematical location of something on Earth's surface

Latitude - measured in?

the measurement of distance north or south of the Earth's equator - measured in degrees

Longitude - measured in?

the measurement of distance east or west of the Prime Meridian - measured in degrees

Map Projection

a scientific method used to flatten the earth into a two-dimensional surface like a piece of paper or a computer screen

Node

a central point

Possibilism

the theory that the physical environments may set limits but humans ultimately decide how a society develops

Toponym

the name given to a place on Earth