Chapter 1: Intro.

Question 1

definition of “geography” : write about a place

Answer 1

• coined by Greek scientist Eratosthenes
• geo, “the earth”
• graphein, “to write”

Question 2

definition of “geography”: spatial science

Answer 2

• study of spatial variation and distribution
• fundamental inspiration for geographical thought
• probably originated w/ recognition of “areal differentiation”

Question 3

Subfields of geography

Answer 3

• techniques: GIS
• human: population, political, historical, cultural, urban, social, economic, behavioral
• physical:

Question 4

Focus of Geography

Answer 4

• areal variation
• spatial systems
• regional analysis

Question 5

Absolute location

Answer 5

identification of place by precise and accepted system of coordinates (e.g. longitude and latitude, and UTM)

Question 6

Administrative Region

Answer 6

created by law, treaty, or regulation (e.g. census tracts)

Question 7

Reference maps

Answer 7

general purpose map

Question 8

Map scale

Answer 8

relationship between size or length of a feature on map and same item on Earth’s surface
- determines amount of generalization

Question 9

Mental maps

Answer 9

• cognitive maps
• internal models or representations of area or environment developed by individual on basis of info. or impressions received, interpreted, and stored

Question 10

XXX System

Answer 10

• spatial system

- contents of areas are interrelated and constitute system

Question 11

Areal variation

Answer 11

examines relationships between human societies and natural environments that they occupy and modify

Question 12

Spatial Systems (XXX System)

Answer 12

link physical phenomena and human activities in one area on earth with other areas

Question 13

Regional analysis

Answer 13

studies human-environment relationships and spatial system in specific locational settings

Question 14

Relative location

Answer 14

location of a place in relation to other places or activities

Question 15

Absolute direction

Answer 15

based on global and macroscopic features

Question 16

Relative direction

Answer 16

culturally based locational reference (e.g. Far West, Old South, Middle East)

Question 17

Absolute distance

Answer 17

physical separation between 2 points measured by some accepted standard units

Question 18

Relative distance

Answer 18

transforms linear measurements into other units that could be more meaningful for spatial relationship in question

Question 19

Place

Answer 19

features, attributes, and values we associate with a location

Question 20

Sense of place

Answer 20

our impression, feeling, or a certain attitude

Question 21

Natural landscape (of place)

Answer 21

• provides setting within which human actions occur

- climate, soil, water resources, minerals and terrain features

Question 22

Cultural landscape

Answer 22

visible expression of a place

Question 23

Accessibility

Answer 23

the relative ease with which a destination may be reached from other locations

Question 24

Connectivity

Answer 24

• the directness of routes linking pairs of places

- all tangible and intangible means of connection and communication between places

Question 25

Density

Answer 25

thought of as measure of number or quantity of some feature within defined unit of area

Question 26

Dispersion

Answer 26

statement of how much features within distribution are spread out (dispersed) from each other, or clustered together

Question 27

Pattern

Answer 27

geometric arrangement of features in space

Question 28

Thematic Regions

Answer 28

based on one or more objectively measurable themes or properties (e.g. climate zones)

Question 29

Functional Regions

Answer 29

emerge from patterns of interaction over space and time that connect places
- sometimes called nodal regions

Question 30

Perceptual Regions

Answer 30

informal subjective regions defined by people’s beliefs, feelings, and images

Question 31

Thematic maps

Answer 31

specific-purpose maps

- represent a specific spatial distribution or single category of data

Question 32

Graduated circle maps

Answer 32

use circles of different size to show magnitude of variable of interest in different places

Question 33

Dot maps

Answer 33

single or specified number of occurences of item studied is recorded by single dot

Question 34

Isoline map

Answer 34

features lines that connect points registering equal values of item mapped (iso “equal”)

Question 35

Choropleth map

Answer 35

presents average value of data studied per preexisting areal unit

Question 36

Place vs Location

Answer 36

place refers to the attributes and meanings we associate with a location