Unit 1 Vocabulary

Question 1

the study of the physical features of the earth and its atmosphere, and of human activity as it affects and is affected by these, including the distribution of populations and resources, land use, and industries.

Answer 1

geography

Question 2

two (or more) phenomena may be related, or associated with one another

Answer 2

spatial relationships

Question 3

the connection and exchange between humans and the natural world

Answer 3

human-environment interaction

Question 4

position; situation of people and things

Answer 4

location

Question 5

uniqueness of a location (or similarity of two or ore locales); phenomena within an area

Answer 5

place

Question 6

the amount of territory that a map represents

Answer 6

scale

Question 7

general arrangement of things being studied

Answer 7

pattern

Question 8

the process geographers use to divide and categorize space into smaller areal units

Answer 8

regionalization

Question 9

expansion of economic, political, and cultural processes to a global scale and impact (transcend state boundaries)

Answer 9

globalization

Question 10

primary purpose is to show land forms like deserts, mountains, and plains

Answer 10

physical map

Question 11

designed to governmental boundaries of countries, states, and counties, and the location of major cities

Answer 11

political map

Question 12

show spatial aspects of information or of a phenomena

Answer 12

thematic map

Question 13

generalized map type designed to show general spatial properties of features

Answer 13

reference map

Question 14

uses various colors, shades of one color, or patterns to show the location and distribution of spatial data

Answer 14

choropleth map

Question 15

used to show the specific location and distribution of something across the territory of the map

Answer 15

dot map

Question 16

uses symbols of different sizes to indicate different amounts of something

Answer 16

graduated symbol map

Question 17

uses lines that connect point of equal value to depict variations in the data across space

Answer 17

isoline map

Question 18

the sizes of counties (or states, countries, or another areal unit) are shown according to some specific statistic

Answer 18

cartogram map

Question 19

process of showing a curved surface on a flat surface

Answer 19

map projections

Question 20

straight meridians and parallels that intersect at right angles, used for marine navigation; most distortion at the poles (high latitudes)

Answer 20

Mercator projection

Question 21

directions from a central point are preserved; usually these projections also have radial symmetry; also known as Azimuthal projections

Answer 21

polar projection

Question 22

area on Earth’s surface marked by a degree of homogeneity (uniformity) of some phenomenon

Answer 22

region

Question 23

homogeneous region is an area within which everyone shares in common one or more distinctive characteristics. The shared feature could be a cultural value such as a common language, or an environmental climate

Answer 23

formal (uniform) region

Question 24

satellite-based system for determining the absolute location of places

Answer 24

Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

Question 25

a place that people believe exists as a part of their cultural identity. Such regions emerge from people’s informal sense of place rather than from scientific models developed through geographic thought

Answer 25

perceptual (vernacular) region

Question 26

collection of computer hardware and software permitting spatial data to be collected, recorded, stored, retrieved, used, and displayed

Answer 26

Geographic Information System (GIS)

Question 27

methods of collecting data or information through the use of instruments (e.g. satellites) that are physically distant from the area or object of study

Answer 27

remote sensing

Question 28

area organized around a node or focal point; the characteristic will diminish the importance as it spreads outward. This region is tied to the central point by transportation or communication systems or by economic or functional associations

Answer 28

functional (nodal) region