GeoTerms
Unit 1:
Geography - the study of features on Earth's surface.
Physical Geography - the study of natural features on the surface of the Earth.
Climate - the pattern of weather over a long period of time.
Economic Activity - any action that relates to the making, buying and selling of goods and services.
Landform - any natural feature of Earth's surface that has a distinct shape.
Physical Feature - any natural characteristic of Earth's surface, such as landforms and bodies of water.
Population Density - the average number of people who live in a unit of area.
Region - an area defined by one or more natural or cultural characteristics that set it apart from other areas.
Thematic Map - a map that shows a particular theme or topic.
Vegetation - all the plants and trees in an area.
Absolute Location - the precise point where a place is located on Earth.
Distortion - a change in the shape, size or position of a place when it is shown on a map.
Map Projection - a way of representing the spherical Earth on a flat surface.
Relative Location - where a place is located in relation to another place.
Physical Characteristics - describes the natural environment of a place.
Human Characteristics - describes the people of a place (past and present).
Ecumene - a geographic region that is well-suited for permanent settlement.
Plural Society - a society in which people of many different cultures are able to celebrate their traditions and beliefs.
Urban - found in or living in a city.
Rural - found in or living in a area that is not close to the city.
Ecosystem - A community of all the living things in an area and the environment in which they live.
Freshwater - Made up of water that is fresh, not salty.
Food Web - All of the feeding relationships within an ecosystem.
Food Chain - A series of plants and animals, each of which depends on the one below it for food.
Watershed - A geographic area that includes all of the land and waterways that drain into a body of water.
Point Source Pollution - water pollution from a single place such as a discharge pipe at a plant that treats sewage.
Non-Point Source Pollution - pollution that does not come from a single location, but rather from many sources such as runoff from farms.
Primary Source - a document or physical object that was created during the time period being studied.
Secondary Source - Second-hand, published accounts usually created after primary sources and they often use or talk about primary sources.
Unit 2:
Scarcity - having unlimited wants in a world with limited resources.
Crude Oil - petroleum as it comes out of the ground and before it has been refined or processed into useful products.
Oil Reserves - oil that has been discovered but remains unused in the ground.
Renewable Resource - a resource that can't be used up or that can be replaced quickly as it is used up.
Nonrenewable Resource - a resource that takes so long to form that it can't be replaced.
Geography - the study of features on Earth's surface.
Physical Geography - the study of natural features on the surface of the Earth.
Climate - the pattern of weather over a long period of time.
Economic Activity - any action that relates to the making, buying and selling of goods and services.
Landform - any natural feature of Earth's surface that has a distinct shape.
Physical Feature - any natural characteristic of Earth's surface, such as landforms and bodies of water.
Population Density - the average number of people who live in a unit of area.
Region - an area defined by one or more natural or cultural characteristics that set it apart from other areas.
Thematic Map - a map that shows a particular theme or topic.
Vegetation - all the plants and trees in an area.
Absolute Location - the precise point where a place is located on Earth.
Distortion - a change in the shape, size or position of a place when it is shown on a map.
Map Projection - a way of representing the spherical Earth on a flat surface.
Relative Location - where a place is located in relation to another place.
Physical Characteristics - describes the natural environment of a place.
Human Characteristics - describes the people of a place (past and present).
Ecumene - a geographic region that is well-suited for permanent settlement.
Plural Society - a society in which people of many different cultures are able to celebrate their traditions and beliefs.
Urban - found in or living in a city.
Rural - found in or living in a area that is not close to the city.
Ecosystem - A community of all the living things in an area and the environment in which they live.
Freshwater - Made up of water that is fresh, not salty.
Food Web - All of the feeding relationships within an ecosystem.
Food Chain - A series of plants and animals, each of which depends on the one below it for food.
Watershed - A geographic area that includes all of the land and waterways that drain into a body of water.
Point Source Pollution - water pollution from a single place such as a discharge pipe at a plant that treats sewage.
Non-Point Source Pollution - pollution that does not come from a single location, but rather from many sources such as runoff from farms.
Primary Source - a document or physical object that was created during the time period being studied.
Secondary Source - Second-hand, published accounts usually created after primary sources and they often use or talk about primary sources.
Unit 2:
Scarcity - having unlimited wants in a world with limited resources.
Crude Oil - petroleum as it comes out of the ground and before it has been refined or processed into useful products.
Oil Reserves - oil that has been discovered but remains unused in the ground.
Renewable Resource - a resource that can't be used up or that can be replaced quickly as it is used up.
Nonrenewable Resource - a resource that takes so long to form that it can't be replaced.
