Map Projections and Concepts

Flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture about map projections and geography.

Distortion

The alteration of the original shape, area, distance, or direction in a map.

Mercator Projection

A conformal projection used for maritime travel that shows true direction but distorts shape, location, and size of land masses.

Goode Homolosine Projection

An equal-area pseudocylindrical projection that maintains accurate land mass sizes while minimizing distortion but makes viewing the entire world difficult.

Robinson Projection

A map projection that distorts shape, size, and direction evenly, helping to preserve the sizes and shapes of land masses but with more distortion near poles.

Gall-Peters Projection

An equal-area projection that accurately shows the size of land masses but significantly distorts their shapes and directions.

Interrupted Map

A map that removes parts of the globe to reduce distortion.

Uninterrupted Map

A map that displays the entire Earth's surface without removing any parts.

Reference Map

An informational map showing boundaries, toponyms, and geographic features of an area.

Topographic Map

A reference map that uses contour lines to display terrain and elevation changes.

Absolute Direction

Exact direction a person is heading, such as south at 180 degrees.

Relative Direction

Direction given in relation to another object's location, dependent on the surrounding area.

Absolute Distance

The exact distance between two places or objects, measured in quantitative terms.

Relative Distance

Approximate measurement between two places, often measured in time.

Thematic Map

A map that displays spatial patterns of places and uses quantitative data to illustrate specific topics.

Fundamental problem with all maps?

They have distortion that impacts the direction, shape, area, or distance

5 examples of a reference map

1) displays property lines

2) displays political boundaries

3) shows elevation changes

4) helps locate public transportation routes

5) shows key features of a place

Choropleth

Displays data by using different colors or shadows to show a different quantity of a data set

Dot Density

Shows data by placing points on a map where the data is occurring, allowing the reader to see the spatial distribution of data

Graduated Symbol

Uses shapes, items, or symbols to show the location and amount of data on a map

Isoline

Uses lines to connect different areas that have similar or equal amounts of data

Cartogram

Shows data and a dynamic way, with the greatest value represented by the largest area

Flow Line

Displays the movement of different goods, people, animals, services, or ideas between different places

Spatial Analysis

The process of an analyzing patterns and relationship relationships within an area or geographic data. An example: The distribution of natural resources, or the movement of people or goods

Clustered objects

Close together with little to no space between them

Dispersed objects

Spread out objects with a lot of space between them