Geography and Sustainability Overview

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Questions and Answers

What are the 7 continents?

North America, South America, Asia, Australia, Africa

North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Antarctica (correct)

North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Antarctica

Asia, Europe, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, North America, South America

What is the difference between nonrenewable and renewable resources?

Nonrenewable doesn't produce as fast as it is consumed; renewable produces rapidly fast as it is consumed.

What are the three pillars of sustainability?

Environment, Society, Economy.

Define Environmental Determinism.

Environmental Determinism is the study of physical environment influences on human activities. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between density and concentration?

Density is how much of a substance there is, while concentration is how much of a substance is packed together in an amount of space. Signup and view all the answers

What is a cultural landscape?

A combination of cultural features such as language, religion, economic activities, climate, and vegetation. Signup and view all the answers

What is Distance Decay?

The principle that the farther away one thing is from another, the less interaction there is. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of possibilism?

Using technology to adapt to living in the desert Signup and view all the answers

What are Transnational Corporations?

Companies that do research, operate factories, and sell products in many countries. Signup and view all the answers

Define latitude.

Latitude is the angular distance of a place north or south of the equator. Signup and view all the answers

What is GIS?

Geographic Information Science, which produces maps and analyzes different kinds of layers from satellites. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Mercator projection?

A map projection that shows accurate direction Signup and view all the answers

Match the following types of maps with their definitions:

Physical Map = Shows landforms like deserts and mountains Political Map = Shows boundaries, cities, and capitals Thematic Map = Shows a specific theme or topic Reference Map = Used for transportation and locating places Signup and view all the answers

Explain the concept of 'sense of place.'

What makes a place unique. Signup and view all the answers

What is a mental map?

A representation of Earth's surface based on personal knowledge and impressions. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Continents and Regions

Seven continents: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Antarctica.
Understanding regional distinctions aids in geographical analysis and cultural studies.

Resource Types

Nonrenewable resources deplete faster than they can be replenished.
Renewable resources regenerate rapidly, allowing for sustainable consumption.

Sustainability Models

California is considered unsustainable due to low water availability.
The Netherlands exemplifies sustainability, effectively managing excessive water.

Three Pillars of Sustainability

Environmental: Resource management for future needs; emphasizes conservation and preservation.
Society: Focus on basic needs (shelter, food, clothing); advocates for using renewable resources.
Economy: Explores the market dynamics of natural resources based on supply and demand.

Earth Science Spheres

Hydrosphere: Contains all water forms and influences climate and agriculture.
Lithosphere: Comprises Earth's crust and upper mantle; resources like coal are found here.
Atmosphere: The thin gas layer affecting climate and plant growth.
Biosphere: Encompasses all living organisms; reliant on the resources from the other spheres.

Climate Zones

Key climate zones to know: Humid low-latitude, Dry, Warm mid-latitude, Cold mid-latitude, Polar.

Countries Per Region

Examples of countries in various world regions provided for geographical knowledge: USA, Canada, Brazil, China, India, South Africa, etc.

Environmental Theories

Environmental Determinism: Geographical factors influence human behavior; criticized for over-simplifying complex cultural dynamics.
Possibilism: Human ingenuity can overcome environmental limitations, enabling adaptation to diverse environments.

Density vs. Concentration

Density: Measures the quantity of a substance in a defined area.
Concentration: Assesses how closely substances are packed together.

Spatial Approach in Geography

Remote sensing is a method for collecting data about the Earth's surface via satellite technology.

Cultural Landscape

Represents the interaction between cultural, economic, and physical features that define a region.

Acculturation, Assimilation, Syncretism

Acculturation: Adaptation of language when moving between cultures.
Assimilation: The decline of minority languages.
Syncretism: Cultural blending exemplified by international businesses like McDonald's.

Map Projections and Distortion

Mercator: Accurate direction but distorts size, particularly at the poles.
Robinson: Balances distortion and is well-suited for educational purposes.
Galls-Peters: Correctly represents sizes but distorts shapes.

Geographic Concepts

Hearth: Origin region of an idea.
Ethnocentrism: Evaluating other cultures based on one's own, which can obscure understanding.
Geo-Economic Aspects: Unequal access to resources influenced by geography and economic conditions.

Geographic Thought and Perspectives

Post-Structuralist Geography: Founded by Jacques Derrida, analyzing spaces with an emphasis on social groups.
Humanistic Geography: Studies perceptions and symbolic meanings attached to places.

Space-Time Compression

Refers to the reduction in time taken to diffuse elements globally due to advancements in communication and transportation.

Distance Decay

As distance increases, interaction between places tends to decrease.

Transnational Corporations and Globalization

Transnational corporations operate and influence multiple countries, affecting cultural dynamics and job markets.

Location Concepts

Latitude: Measures north/south distance from the equator.
Longitude: Measures east/west distance from the prime meridian.

Types of Maps

Thematic Map: Focuses on a specific theme or issue.
Physical Map: Highlights natural landscapes and features.
Political Map: Illustrates political boundaries and significant locations.

Data Types in Geography

Qualitative data: Describes qualities; cannot be quantified.
Quantitative data: Numerical information that can be measured.

GIS and Remote Sensing

Geographic Information Science (GIS) produces detailed maps using layered data analysis.
Remote sensing collects data about the Earth's surface from satellites.

Scale Concepts

Local Scale: Focused on community-level.
National Scale: Examines national characteristics and issues.
Global Scale: Looks at worldwide geographical phenomena.

Diffusion Types

Types include Relocation, Expansion, Contagious, Hierarchical, and Stimulus diffusion, each describing the various ways features spread geographically.

Key Geographic Terms

Absolute Location: Uses fixed coordinates for identifying a place.
Relative Location: Describes a location in relation to other landmarks.
Pattern: Spatial arrangement of objects.
Sense of Place: Unique characteristics and identity of a location.

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Description

This quiz explores key concepts in geography, including the seven continents, resource types, and sustainability models. Understand the foundational pillars of sustainability and how various regions manage their resources. Test your knowledge on environmental, societal, and economic aspects of sustainability.