APHUG 1.1

Video Notes

Maps - symbolic representation of space used to study and analyze interactions

Shape perception of the world based on its biases

Reference Map - shows locations of geographic areas

Cartographers - map makers

Thematic Map - visualize data

Choropleth Map - global population

Dot-Density Map - population density - each dot represents 100,000 people

Projection - 3D world into 2D form factor

Cartogram Map - size corresponds to country’s population size

Fuller Projection - minimal distortion

Mercator Projection - Sphere to Cylinder - Distorted farther away from center

Preserves direction and shape due to latitude and longitude being perpendicular

Mental Maps - how people visualize locations and paths

Statistics - can be misrepresented to come to inaccurate conclusions

Lecture Notes

Geography - how space used and factors affect use of space

Focus on studying changes across space

Physical Geography - natural processes and distribution of factors

Human Geography - study of events and processes -> shape understanding and use of Earth

How people organize and their distribution

Environmental Geography - intersection between physical and human geography

Spatial Perspective - where and why things are located

Ecological Perspective - relationships between living things and environment

Question - Where?

Answer - Spatial Distribution

Food Desert - area that is hard to get food - Low Income & Low Access (high quality supermarkets)

Question - Why There?

Answer - Spatial Processes

Low Income - 20%+ of the area is below the poverty line

Low Access - 500 people or 33% of the area is at least 1 mile away from a high quality supermarket

Question - Why Care?

Answer - Geographic Analysis and Geographic Inquiry

Geographic Analysis - powerful tool for solving problems and making decisions

Geographic Inquiry - process used to arrive at a conclusion:

Ask question, acquire resources, explore resource, analyze resource, act on knowledge, and repeat

Maps - fundamental level of geography - used for location, communication, and illustration of spatial distribution patterns

Map Scale - math relationship between map size and real size - absolute distance

Representative fraction, written scale, or a graphic representation

Larger Scale - smaller denominator | Smaller Scale - greater denominator

Reference Map - location data

Thematic Map - specific topic or theme

Absolute Distance - measured using a unit of length

Relative Distance - measured in terms of other things (time/currency)

Absolute Direction - cardinal directions

Relative Direction - people’s perceptions of a location (left, right, top, bottom, etc.)

Clustering - Close proximity

Dispersal - spread out almost equally

Map Projection - method to represent the globe in 2D

Location - position something occupies on Earth

Absolute Location - exact location measured in Longitude and Latitude

Relative Location - description of location in relation to other places

Meridian - circle of constant latitude passing through a given place on the Earth’s surface

Arctic Circle - 66 deg 34’ N

Trophic of Cancer - 23 deg 26’ N

Equator - 0 deg

Tropic of Capricorn - 23 deg 26’ S

Antarctic Circle - 66 deg 34’ S

Longitude - runs north to south, measured from east to west

Latitude - runs east to west, measured from north to south

Space - area between 2 or more things

Place - location distinguished by physical and human characteristics

Site - absolute location and physical characteristics

Situation - connections to other places

Mental Map - internalized representation of a place

Distribution - how things are arranged

Density - number of things in an area

Pattern - how things are arranged

Flow - movement of people, goods, and information from one place to another

Distance Decay - longer distance means less interaction

Friction of Distance - distance requires time, effort, and cost to overcome

Time-Space Compression - shrinking of relative distance due to advancements in transportation and communication

Topography - land’s surface shape - hills, mountains, valleys, rivers, craters, that make up area’s terrain

Spatial Patterns - arrangement/distribution of objects, people, phenomena in space

Spatial Relationships - how some objects located in space in relation to other reference objects

Elevation - altitude of a place above or below sea level