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AP Human Geography > Chapter 1 vocabulary > Flashcards

Chapter 1 vocabulary Flashcards

(75 cards)

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1
Q

geography

A

the study of where things are found on Earth’s surface and the reasons for the locations

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2
Q

map

A

a two-dimensional, or flat, representation of Earth’s surface or a portion of it

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3
Q

cartography

A

the science of map making

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4
Q

model

A

a simplified abstraction of reality, structured to clarify casual relationships; used by geographers to explain patterns, make informed decisions, and/or predict future behaviors

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5
Q

map scale

A

the relationship between the size of an object on a map and the size of the actual feature on Earth’s surface

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6
Q

projection

A

a system used to transfer locations from Earth’s surface to a flat map

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7
Q

Robinson Projection

A

useful for displaying information across the ocean

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8
Q

Mercator Projection

A

used to show directions to any location

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9
Q

distortion

A

misrepresentation of the area, size, and/or shape of a place on earth (typically land masses) resulting in the attempt to represent the round world/globe on a flat map

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10
Q

meridian

A

an arc drawn on a map between the North and South poles

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11
Q

longitude

A

the numbering system used to indicate the location of meridians drawn on a globe and measuring distance east to west of the prime meridian

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12
Q

prime meridian

A

the meridian, designated as 0 degrees longitude, that passes through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England

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13
Q

parallel

A

a circle drawn around the globe parallel to the equator and at right angles to the meridians

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14
Q

latitude

A

the numbering system used to indicate the location of parallels drawn on a globe and measuring distance north and south of the equator

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15
Q

equator

A

imaginary circle (line) that lies exactly halfway between North/South at 0 degrees latitude

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16
Q

absolute location

A

use of a coordinate system to have precise plotting for a location on Earth’s surface; can include the idea of formalized addresses

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17
Q

relative location

A

description of a place’s location based upon its locational relationship to other human and/or physical features

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18
Q

time zones

A

an area with an established standard time

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19
Q

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)

A

the time in the zone encompassing the prime meridian, or 0 degrees longitude

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20
Q

international date line

A

an arc that for the most part follows 180 degrees longitude, although it deviates in several places to avoid dividing land areas

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21
Q

geographic information science

A

the development and analysis of data about Earth acquired through satellite and other electronic information technologies

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22
Q

remote sensing

A

the acquisition of data about Earth’s surface from a satellite orbiting the planet or from other long-distance methods

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23
Q

global positioning systems (GPS)

A

a system that determines the precise position of something on Earth through a series of satellites, tracking stations, and receivers

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24
Q

global information systems (GIS)

A

a computer system that stores, organizes, analyzes, and displays geographic data

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25
mashup
a map that overlays data from one source on top of a map provided by a mapping service
26
place
a specific point on Earth, distinguished by a particular characteristic
27
location
the position of anything on Earth's surface
28
toponym
the name given to a portion of Earth's surface
29
site
the physical character of a place
30
situation
the location of a place relative to another place
31
region
an area distinguished by a unique combination of trends or features
32
cultural landscape
an approach to geography that emphasizes the relationships among social and physical phenomena in a particular study area
33
regional studies (aka cultural landscape approach)
the relationship between social and physical elements in a distinguished area
34
sequent occupance
idea proposed in 1929 by Derwent Whittlesey referring to sequential imprints of cultural occupants whose impacts are layered one on top of the other, each layer has some impact on the next
35
formal region (aka uniform or homogenous)
an area in which everyone shares in common one or more distinctive characteristics
36
functional region (aka nodal)
an area organized around a node or focal point
37
vernacular region (aka perceptual)
an area that people believe exists as part of their cultural identity
38
mental map
a representation of a portion of Earth's surface based on what an individual knows about a place that contains personal impressions of what is in the place and where the place is located
39
culture
the body of customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits that together constitute a group's distinct tradition
40
scale
generally, the relationship between the portion of Earth being studied and earth as a whole
41
globalization
actions or processes that involve the entire world and result in making something worldwide in scope
42
transnational corporation
a company that conducts research, operates factories, and sells products in many countries, not just where its headquarters or shareholders are located
43
space
the physical gap or interval between two objects
44
distribution
the arrangement of something across Earth's surface
45
density
the frequency with which something exists within a given unit or area
46
concentration
the spread of something over a given area
47
clustered (aka agglomerated)
the features are close together
48
dispersed (aka scattered)
the features are far apart from each other
49
pattern
the geometric or regular arrangement of something in a particular area
50
connection
the relationships among people and objects across the barrier of space
51
hearth
the region from which innovative ideas originate
52
diffusion
the process of spread of a feature or trend from one place to another over time
53
relocation diffusion
the spread of a feature or trend through bodily movement of people from one place to another
54
expansion diffusion
the spread of a feature or trend among people from one area to another in an additive process
55
hierarchical diffusion
the spread of a feature or trend from one key person or node of authority or power to other persons or places
56
contagious diffusion
the rapid, widespread diffusion of a feature or trend throughout a population
57
stimulus diffusion
the spread of an underlying principle even though a specific characteristic is rejected
58
distance decay
the diminished importance and eventual disappearance of a phenomenon with increasing distance from its origin
59
space-time compression
the reduction in the time it takes to diffuse something to a distant place as a result of improved communications and transportation systems
60
network
a chain of communication that connects places
61
core countries (aka developed)
wealthiest and most developed countries, sites where we can find higher levels of education, higher salaries, and more technology which collectively enhance pace of wealth accumulation
62
periphery countries (aka developing)
poorest and less/ least developed countries, sites where we can find lower levels of education, lower salaries, and less technology which collectively limited pace of wealth accumulation
63
uneven development
the increasing gap in economic conditions between core and peripheral regions as a result of the globalization of the economy
64
resource
a substance in the environment that is useful to people, is economically and technologically feasible to access, and is socially acceptable to use
65
renewable resource
something produced in nature more rapidly than it is consumed by humans
66
nonrenewable resource
something produced in nature more slowly than it is consumed by humans
67
sustainability
the use of Earth's renewable and nonrenewable natural resources in ways that do not constrain resource use in the future
68
conservation
the sustainable management of a natural resource
69
preservation
the maintenance of resources in their present condition, which has little human impact as possible
70
climate
the long-term average weather condition at a particular location
71
ecosystem
a group of living organisms and the abiotic spheres with which they interact
72
ecology
the scientific study of ecosystems
73
cultural ecology
a geographic approach that emphasizes human-environment relationships
74
environmental determinism
a nineteen and early twentieth century approach to the study of geography which argued that the general law sought by human geographer could be found in the physical sciences.
75
possibilism
the theory that the physical environment may set limits on human actions, but people have the ability to adjust to the physical environment and choose an course of action from many alternatives

AP Human Geography (5 decks)

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