Untitled Document - Geography PDF

Chapter 1: Geography ​ Absolute Location: The exact position of a place on Earth, typically measured in latitude and longitude. ​ Relative Location: The location of a place in relation to other places. ​ Hemisphere: Half of the Earth, divided by the equator or prime meridian into norther...

Chapter 1: Geography ​ Absolute Location: The exact position of a place on Earth, typically measured in latitude and longitude. ​ Relative Location: The location of a place in relation to other places. ​ Hemisphere: Half of the Earth, divided by the equator or prime meridian into northern, southern, eastern, or western halves. ​ Equator: An imaginary line around the middle of Earth, dividing it into northern and southern hemispheres. ​ Prime Meridian: The imaginary line running from the North to South Pole, dividing the Earth into eastern and western hemispheres. ​ Latitude: Imaginary horizontal lines measuring distance north or south of the equator in degrees. ​ Longitude: Imaginary vertical lines measuring distance east or west of the prime meridian in degrees. ​ Location: The position of something on Earth’s surface. ​ Place: A specific point on Earth defined by its physical and human characteristics. ​ Region: An area distinguished by shared cultural or physical features. ​ Human-Environment Interaction: How humans adapt to, modify, and depend on their environment. ​ Movement: The transfer of people, goods, and ideas from one place to another. ​ Maps: Flat representations of Earth’s surface. ​ Globes: Spherical models of Earth. ​ Cartographer: A person who makes maps. ​ Landsat: Satellites that collect data about Earth’s surface. ​ Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES): Satellites used for monitoring weather and climate. ​ Geographic Information System (GIS): Computer systems that store, analyze, and display geographic data. Chapter 2: Earth’s Physical Systems ​ Continent: One of the seven large landmasses on Earth. ​ Solar System: The Sun and all objects orbiting it, including planets, moons, and asteroids. ​ Core: The central part of the Earth, consisting of a solid inner core and a liquid outer core. ​ Mantle: The layer of Earth between the crust and the core, made of semi-solid rock. ​ Magma: Molten rock beneath Earth’s surface. ​ Crust: Earth’s outermost layer, composed of rock and soil.  ​ Atmosphere: The layer of gases surrounding Earth. ​ Lithosphere: The solid, outer part of Earth, including the crust and upper mantle. ​ Hydrosphere: All water on Earth, including oceans, lakes, rivers, and groundwater. ​ Biosphere: All living organisms on Earth, including plants, animals, and humans. ​ Continental Drift: The theory that continents have moved over geological time. ​ Hydrologic Cycle: The movement of water through the atmosphere, land, and oceans. ​ Drainage Basin: An area of land where water collects and flows into a river. ​ Ground Water: Water stored beneath Earth’s surface. ​ Water Table: The upper level of groundwater in an area. ​ Landform: A natural feature of Earth’s surface, such as a mountain or valley. ​ Continental Shelf: The submerged edge of a continent. ​ Relief: The difference in elevation between the highest and lowest parts of an area. ​ Topography: The shape and features of Earth’s surface. ​ Tectonic Plate: Large pieces of Earth’s lithosphere that move over the mantle. ​ Fault: A crack in Earth’s crust caused by tectonic forces. ​ Earthquake: A sudden shaking of Earth’s crust due to movements along faults. ​ Seismograph: An instrument that measures and records earthquake vibrations. ​ Epicenter: The point on Earth’s surface directly above the earthquake’s focus. ​ Richter Scale: A scale measuring the energy released by an earthquake. ​ Tsunami: A large ocean wave caused by an underwater earthquake or volcano. ​ Volcano: A mountain formed by magma erupting onto Earth’s surface. ​ Lava: Magma that reaches Earth’s surface. ​ Ring of Fire: A zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean. ​ Weathering: The breaking down of rocks into smaller pieces by wind, water, or ice. Chapter 3: Weather, Climate, and Ecosystems ​ Solstice: The two times a year when the Sun is at its greatest distance from the equator, resulting in the longest or shortest day. ​ Equinox: The two times a year when day and night are of equal length. ​ Weather: The short-term conditions of the atmosphere at a specific place and time. ​ Climate: The average weather conditions of a region over a long period. ​ Precipitation: Any form of water, like rain or snow, that falls from the atmosphere to the ground. ​ Rain Shadow: A dry area on the leeward side of a mountain. ​ Hurricane: A large, powerful tropical storm with strong winds. ​ Typhoon: A tropical cyclone occurring in the western Pacific Ocean. ​ Tornado: A violently rotating column of air extending from a storm to the ground. ​ Blizzard: A severe snowstorm with strong winds. ​ Drought: A prolonged period with little or no rainfall. ​ Climate Change: Long-term changes in Earth’s climate. ​ Global Warming: The increase in Earth’s average temperature due to human activities.  ​ Greenhouse Effect: The trapping of heat in Earth’s atmosphere by gases like carbon dioxide. ​ Ecosystem: A community of plants, animals, and their environment. ​ Biome: A large region with specific climate, plants, and animals. Chapter 4: Human Geography ​ Culture: The shared beliefs, practices, and material traits of a group. ​ Society: A group of people sharing a culture and geographic region. ​ Ethnic Group: People who share a common culture, language, or heritage. ​ Innovation: The creation or improvement of new ideas, methods, or products. ​ Diffusion: The spread of ideas, customs, or technology from one culture to another. ​ Cultural Hearth: A region where a culture originates and spreads. ​ Acculturation: When one culture adopts traits from another. ​ Dialect: A regional variety of a language. ​ Religion: A belief system about the meaning of life, often involving gods or spirits. ​ Monotheistic: Belief in one god. ​ Polytheistic: Belief in multiple gods. ​ Animistic: Belief that natural objects or forces have spirits. ​ Birth Rate: The number of births per 1,000 people in a year. ​ Fertility Rate: The average number of children a woman is expected to have. ​ Infant Mortality Rate: The number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births. ​ Push-Pull Factors: Reasons people migrate, like escaping war (push) or finding better jobs (pull). ​ Population Density: The number of people living in a specific area. ​ State: A political unit with defined territory and government. ​ Nation: A group of people sharing a common culture or identity. ​ Nation-State: A country where the population shares a common identity. ​ Democracy: A government where power rests with the people. ​ Monarchy: A government led by a king or queen. ​ Dictatorship: A government controlled by one leader with total power. ​ Communism: A system where the government owns and controls all resources. ​ Landlocked: A country with no direct access to the ocean. ​ Urban Geography: The study of cities and urban areas. ​ City: A large, densely populated area. ​ Suburb: A smaller area surrounding a city. ​ Metropolitan Area: A city and its surrounding suburbs. ​ Urbanization: The process of cities growing and expanding.