Notes on different terms of Geography

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Chapter 1:Chapter 1:The World of The World of GeographyGeography


Chapter 1:Chapter 1:

What is Geography?What is Geography?

**It is the study of our earth; our It is the study of our earth; our home.home.

OROR

*Anything that can be mapped!*Anything that can be mapped!


*Geography mixes up the *Geography mixes up the physical and human aspects physical and human aspects of our world into one field of of our world into one field of

study.study.

*Geography shows the *Geography shows the relationship between people relationship between people

and the environment.and the environment.


The Five Themes of The Five Themes of GeographyGeography• There are five ways to look at the There are five ways to look at the

earthearth


Things that geographers study:Things that geographers study:

• oceansoceans

• plant lifeplant life

• landformslandforms

• peoplepeople

• how the Earth and its people affect how the Earth and its people affect each othereach other


The Five Themes:The Five Themes:

1)1) Location – Geographers begin to study a Location – Geographers begin to study a place by finding where it is, or its place by finding where it is, or its location.location.

2)2) Place – Geographers study the physical Place – Geographers study the physical and human features of a location.and human features of a location.

3)3) Human-Environment Interaction – Human-Environment Interaction – Geographers study how people affect or Geographers study how people affect or shape physical characteristics of their shape physical characteristics of their natural surroundings and how does their natural surroundings and how does their surroundings (environment) affect them?surroundings (environment) affect them?


4)4) Movement – Helps explain how Movement – Helps explain how people, goods, and ideas get from people, goods, and ideas get from one place to another.one place to another.

5)5) Regions – Geographers compare Regions – Geographers compare the climate, land, population, or the climate, land, population, or history of one place to another.history of one place to another.


The Geographer’s ToolsThe Geographer’s Tools•Globes and Maps:Globes and Maps:

– As people explored the Earth, they As people explored the Earth, they collected information about it.collected information about it.

– Mapmakers wanted to present this Mapmakers wanted to present this information correctly.information correctly.

– The best way was to put it on a The best way was to put it on a globe, a round ball that globe, a round ball that represented the Earth.represented the Earth.


– Because globes are not practical or Because globes are not practical or easy to use to carry, flat maps easy to use to carry, flat maps were invented.were invented.

– However, the earth is round and a However, the earth is round and a map is flat.map is flat.

– Mapmakers had to find ways to Mapmakers had to find ways to make maps accurate.make maps accurate.


How Latitude and Longitude How Latitude and Longitude Form the Global GridForm the Global Grid


The HemispheresThe Hemispheres


Globes and MapsGlobes and Maps

• The most accurate way to present The most accurate way to present information on the islands, information on the islands, continents, and bodies of water of continents, and bodies of water of the world is to put it all on a the world is to put it all on a globeglobe, a , a round ball like the Earth itself.round ball like the Earth itself.

• The only difference between a globe The only difference between a globe and the Earth itself is the and the Earth itself is the scalescale, or , or size, represented on the globe.size, represented on the globe.


• Globes have a disadvantage: They Globes have a disadvantage: They cannot be complete enough to be cannot be complete enough to be useful and at the same time be small useful and at the same time be small enough to be convenient. enough to be convenient.

• Therefore, people invented flat Therefore, people invented flat maps.maps.


• Maps try to show the Earth, which is Maps try to show the Earth, which is round, on a flat surface. round, on a flat surface.

• This causes This causes distortiondistortion, or a change in , or a change in accuracy of the shapes and distances accuracy of the shapes and distances of places. of places.

• It is impossible to show the Earth on It is impossible to show the Earth on a flat surface without some a flat surface without some distortion.distortion.


The World: A Robinson The World: A Robinson ProjectionProjection

ARCTIC OCEAN


The Parts of a MapThe Parts of a Map

Compass RoseCompass Rose

• A compass rose is a model of a compass. It A compass rose is a model of a compass. It tells the cardinal directions, which are north, tells the cardinal directions, which are north, south, east, and west.south, east, and west.

ScaleScale

• The scale on a map tells you the relative The scale on a map tells you the relative distance on the map to the real world. For distance on the map to the real world. For example, a map’s scale may tell you that one example, a map’s scale may tell you that one inch on the map equals one mile in the real inch on the map equals one mile in the real world.world.


KeyKey

• The key, or legend, on a map explains The key, or legend, on a map explains what the symbols on a map represent, what the symbols on a map represent, such as triangles representing trees.such as triangles representing trees.

GridsGrids

• Some maps use a grid of parallels and Some maps use a grid of parallels and meridians. On a map of a small area, meridians. On a map of a small area, letters and numbers are often used to letters and numbers are often used to help you find your location.help you find your location.

Technology

Notes on different terms of Geography