Spatial Concepts and Diffusion - Key Points

  • LG Learning Goals
    • 3-1 Explain geographical concepts used to analyze connections between places and people.
    • 3-2 Describe the different types of diffusion.
  • Core ideas
    • Human geographers ask how and why people live where they do; study spatial relationships and patterns to understand how humans affect places and how places affect each other.
    • Culture and other phenomena move across geographic space.
  • Terms to Know
    • relative location: The position of one place (or person) in relation to the position of another place (or person).
  • Absolute Location
    • Absolute location is the precise position on Earth’s surface, found using latitude and longitude.
    • Latitude and longitude form a grid over the globe:
    • Latitude lines are horizontal (parallels) and measure distance north or south of the equator.
    • Longitude lines are vertical (meridians) and measure distance east or west from the prime meridian (Greenwich, England).
    • Technologies like GPS and GIS identify absolute location based on latitude and longitude.
  • Relative Location
    • Relative location is the position of one place in relation to another place.
    • It can be measured in time or distance, which explains why map apps ask for a measure and a mode of transportation.
  • Geospatial Technologies
    • GPS (Global Positioning System) and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) help identify absolute location and assist in navigation.
  • Notes on diffusion
    • Diffusion types (3-2) are listed as learning goals, but specific types are not described in this excerpt.