AP Human Geo Unit 1 KBAT

Human Geography

The Why of Where

Spatial Pattern

General arrangement of people/objects across a space (analyzed using abosolute/relative location, spatial distribution)

Distribution

The arrangement of a feature in a given area (described by density/concentration

density

Number of people/objects per area

Tobler’s law

"Everything is related, but nearer things are more related than distant things"

Data Aggregation

Collecting and organizing large amounts of data

Distance Decay

As the distance between two places increase, the interactions between them decreases

Space-time/Time-space compression

Phenomenon that new technology reduces perceived distance between places

Absolute location

Location on Earth's surface, found using latitude and longitude lines (coordinates)

Relative location

Where a place is located in relation to another place

Scale

The relationship between the portion of Earth being studied and Earth as a whole

Projection

Method used to transfer a globe to a 2D map

Distortion

Inaccuracies that occur when translating the globe into 2D maps

map scale

The ratio between a distance on a map and the corresponding distance on the Earth's surface

Reference Map

Emphasizes the geographic location of features (ex: railroads, bodies of water, boundaries & names, roads)

thematic map

Emphasizes spatial patterns/distribution of a certain attribute

Isoline Map

Connects/links different places that share equal value

Cartogram Map

A thematic map that distorts geographic shape to show size of data variable (ex: birth rate)

Choropleth map

A thematic map that uses tones or colors to represent spatial data as average values per unit area.

Graduated Symbol Map

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

Dot Distribution Map

Each dot represents an identical unit and conveys data by amount present (shows density in different locations)

Mental Map

An individual's internal visualization of a geographic area

Compass Rose

A tool on a map showing cardinal (N,E,S,W) and intermediate (NE,SE,NW,SW) directions.

Concentration

Description of how features are spread out among a space (clustered/dispersed)

Aerial photography

Remote-sensing photography that produces fine-grained, high-resolution, highly detailed images

Remote Sensing

Scanning of the earth by satellite or high-flying aircraft in order to obtain information about it

GIS

Software application for capturing, storing, checking data regarding positions on Earth (allows for rapid manipulation-good for problem solving)

GPS

System of 24 satellites that orbit 2x/day & transmit radio signals to earth

Latitude

Horizontal. Degree of distant north/south of equator (which is 0 degrees) to the poles (90 degrees)

Longitude

Connects the North with South Pole, lines as NOT parallel. Measure how east/west the location is from the prime median

Prime Median

Zero degree longitude that runs through Greenwich, England

International Date line

Longitude=180 degrees; Runs through the Pacific Ocean and separates one day from the next

geotagging

Adding lat/long coordinates to media (ex: picture, website, video)

Formal/Uniform Region

An area in which everyone shares in common one or more distinctive characteristics

Functional/Nodal Region

Area organized around a node where there is a central focus that diminishes in importance outward (ex: business district that those on suburbs will commute to)

Vernacular/Perceptual Region

Defined by the resident's shared feeling about themselves

diffusion

Spread of culture from one place to others

relocation diffusion

When humans migrate and spread their culture to those around them

Stimulus Diffusion

When an idea from one culture inspires a new idea in another, but the adaption is significantly different

Hierarchal Diffusion

When an idea spreads from a larger/more influencial node/hearth to less influential/smaller places

hearth/node

The place from which an innovation originates

Contagious Diffusion

When an idea spreads rapidly without regard to social hierarchy

Cultural Ecology

The geographic study of human-environment relationships

Environmental Determinism

The idea that the environment determines human activities and development of culture

Possibilism

The theory that the physical environment may set limits on human actions, but people have the ability to adjust to the physical environment.

Cultural Landscape

The visible imprint of human activity and culture on the landscape

globalization

Process of increased interconnectedness among countries, economies, cultures, etc.

Toponym

The name given to specific places/geographic features, usually reflect cultural, linguistic, historic contexts

Site

Exact location of a settlement/city on Earth, and the actual physical attributes of the place it occupies

Situation

Where a city is, in relation to its surrounding features (mountains, rivers, roads)

polder

Land below sea level that has been recovered by removing the water that flooded it

sluice

A sliding gate that controls the flow of water

dike

Embankments constructed to prevent flooding

Zuider Zee Works

20th-century system of dams, dikes, and land reclamation projects in the Netherlands to turn the Zuider Zee into present-day Ijsselmeer

delta works

Dams, storm barriers, sluices that protect the south-west of the Netherlands from the sea