Chapter 1-6 and 10 Rubenstein
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62 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 geography | writing about earth (geo+graphy) |
| human geography | study of where and why human activities are located where they are. |
| physical geography | study of where and why natural forces occur as they do. |
| scale | relationship between the portion of Earth being studied and earth as a whole |
| space | physical gap between two objects |
| connections | relationships among people and objects across the barrier of space |
| map | scale model of the real world, made as a reference tool or a communication tool |
| Aristotle | first to discover Earth's spherical shape |
| Eratosthenes | first to use the word "geography" |
| Age of Exploration and Discovery | revival of geography and mapmaking when Ptolemy's maps were rediscovered and writings were translated into European languages |
| ratio scale | shows the numerical ratio between distances on the map and Earth's surface. eg: 1:24,000- shows 1 unit on map actually represents 24,000 units |
| written scale | describes the relationship between map and Earth distances in words. eg: 1 inch equals 1 mile |
| graphic scale | consists of a bar line marked to show distance on Earth's surface |
| globe | the only way a map can be accurately projected without distortion |
| projection | scientific method of transferring locations on Earth's surface to a flat map |
| ways of distortion | shape, distance, relative size, and direction on a map |
| The Robinson projection | useful for displaying information across oceans, but the landforms are much smaller |
| the Mercator projection | shape is distorted very little, direction is consistant, and the map is rectangular. however, the poles are much larger than they actually are |
| Land Ordinance of 1785 | divided most of the country into a system of townships and ranches to sell land to settlers in the west |
| township | a square of 6 miles on each side that has a number corresponding to its distance north or south of a particular base line |
| 36 | the number of sections in a township |
| GIScience | helps geographers create more accurate and complex maps and measure changes of places over time |
| GPS (global positioning system) | determines the precise position of something using satellites, tracking stations, and a receiver. commonly used for navigation |
| remote sensing | acquisition of data about Earth's surface from a satellite orbiting Earth |
| GIS (geographic information system) | computer system that can capture, store, query, analyze, and display geographic data used to produce maps |
| topynym | name given to a place on Earth eg: famous person, founder's name, religion, features of the environment |
| site | the physical characteristic of a place. eg: climate, water sources, soil. |
| situation | the location of a place relative to other places. eg: close to the pond |
| meridian | arc drawn between the north and south poles identified using longitude |
| prime meridian | 0 degrees longitude |
| parallel | circle drawn around the globe parallel to the equator and at right angles to the meridians. identified using latitude |
| equator | 0 degrees latitude |
| John Harrison | invented the first portable clock that could keep accurate time on a ship |
| cultural landscape | combination of cultural features such as language and religion, economic features such as agriculture and industry, and physical features which a region derives its unified character from. |
| regional studies approach | the idea that each region has its own distinctive landscape that results from a unique combination of social relationships and physical processes. |
| formal region | area which everyone shares one or more distinctive characteristics in common. can be a cultural value, an economic activity, or an environmental property |
| functional region | area organized around a node or focal point. eg: a television's signal area |
| vernacular region | place people believe exists as a part of their cultural identity |
| culture | body of customary beliefs (what people care about and what people care for) |
| cultural ecology | the study of human-environment relationships and how different cultural groups modify the environment. explains many global issues, such as the population's need to produce food. |
| environmental determinism | Alexander von Humboldt and Carl Ritter's theory that the view that the natural environment has a controlling influence over various aspects of human life including cultural development |
| 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 a course of action from many alternatives. |
| resources | substances that are useful to people |
| the Koppen system | divides the world into 5 major climate regions identified by the letters A through E |
| dry and polar climates | two most unpopular climate regions in the Koppen system |
| forest biome | trees form a continuous canopy that covers the ground. covers most of north america, europe, asia, south america, africa, and southeast asia. |
| savanna biome | biome with a lack of shade which results in a lack of grass. covers large areas of africa, south asia, south america, and australia. |
| grassland biome | land is covered in grass rather than trees, few trees because of lack of precipitation. |
| desert biome | dispersed patches of plants adapted to dry conditions. few animals due to lack of vegetation. |
| U.S. comprehensive soil classification system | divides global soil types into 12 orders according to surface and subsoil. |
| erosion | soil washes away/blows away in the wind. one of the contributing factors to the destruction of soil. |
| nutrient depletion | plants withdraw more nutrients than natural resources can replace |
| topographic maps | a map that shows the surface features of an area. used to study the relief and slope of localities. |
| geomorphology | the study of landforms that helps explain the distribution of people and the choice of economic activities at different locations. eg: people prefer flatter land because it is better for farming |
| polder | piece of land created by draining water from an area |
| globalization | force or process that involves the entire world and results in making something worldwide in scope. eg: the globalization of mcdonalds. |
| transnational corporation | conducts research, operates factories, and sells products in many countries, not just where its headquarters are located. |
| arithmetic density | total number of objects in a given area |
| physiological density | the number of persons per unit of area suitable for agriculture. if it is high, the country would have a harder time growing enough food to sustain its population. |
| agricultural density | number of farmers per unit area of farmland. if high, it may mean agriculture in that country is insufficient. |
| space-time comparison | distant places seem more accessible and less remote. we know about what is happening in a different part of the world sooner. |
| distance decay | the effects of distance on interaction, generally the greater the distance the less interaction |
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