WGU D199 Physical Geography and Migration

Scheduled maintenance: 13 January 2026 from 09:00 to 11:00 WGU D199 Physical Geography and Migration lkbeatty2621 Created 18/01/24 Save Share Physical Geography Introduction Types of Maps Map Scale and Coordinates Focuses on natural features of earth• Studies landforms, climate, bodies of water, biomes, soils, natural vegetation• Studies human impact on environment and ecosystems• Seeks to understand how physical processes drive change in the environment• Studies how humans are interacting with those processes• Reference Map: Used to display important physical elements of a specific geographic area •

Thematic Map: Specialized map used to understand one particular attribute or

characteristic of a specific geographic area • Literal Map: Strives to display the objective truth about a specific geographic area•

Figurative Map: Uses symbols to represent a narrative or point of view, less

concerned with physical accuracy •

Analytical Mapping: Use of cartography techniques to uncover and learn about

patterns and trends in a specific geographic area •

Map Scale: Measurement of distance on a map corresponds to the distance on the

ground in the real world • Representative Fraction (RF): Describes the scale of a map using a ratio• Give it a go

Map Projections Thematic Maps Data Representation Small-Scale: Map with a relatively small RF, where features appear relatively small• Large-Scale: Map with a relatively large RF, where features appear relatively large•

Coordinates: Points on a specified reference map that define the location of a

particular place • Cartesian Coordinate System: Reference system for a plane based on X and Y axis• Geographic Coordinate System: Reference system to locate places on the surface of the earth using latitude and longitude •

Longitude: Imaginary east-west lines in the geographic coordinate system•

Latitude: Imaginary north-south lines in the geographic coordinate system•

Prime Meridian: Line of longitude that passes through Greenwich, UK, starting point for counting other lines of longitude •

Graticule: Grid pattern in the geographic coordinate system•

Projection: Method of flattening a globe into a form that can be represented on a flat surface •

Conformal Projections: Maps that preserve angles, not necessarily lengths•

Equal Area Projections: Maps that preserve relative size of land masses, not shape• Equidistant Projections: Maps that preserve accurate distances from a central point, not shape or size • Comprise Interrupted and Artistic Projections: Maps that blend characteristics to maintain accuracy in distance, size, and shape, with beauty as their main objective • Dot Density Map: Uses dots to represent the distribution (density) of a particular attribute across a geographic area •

Proportional Symbol Map: Uses symbols in different sizes to represent the

distribution (density) of a particular attribute across a geographic area • Choropleth Map: Uses colors to represent the distribution of a particular attribute across a geographic area •

Frequency Tables: Organized tabular representation of raw data•

Histogram: Graph that represents a data set visually using continuous number ranges• Frequency Polygon: Line graph derived from plotting the points of a histogram's bins and connecting them •

Human-Environment Interaction

Shape: Visual contour of a frequency polygon or a smoothed-out form of it using

curves •

Center: Midpoint of a shape•

Spread: Extent to which the shape continues to either side of the center,

symmetrically, skewed left or skewed right •

Density Curves: Frequency polygons rounded into continuous curves•

Categorical Variables: Data organized via qualitative labels•

Bar Graph: Visual representation of data organized into vertical rectangles or bars•

Pie Chart: Visual representation of data organized by percentages of the whole,

shown as slices of pie •

Univariate Data: Data concerning one variable•

Dot Plot: Visual representation of data organized into a series of dots shown on axes•

Bivariate Data: Data concerning the relationships between two variables•

Scatter Plot: Visual representation of data where points are plotted on a plane

defined by x-axis and y-axis • Direction: Overall trend of the data, positive (slanting up) or negative (slanting down)• Standardized: Data from different sources and sorted by different metrics converted into a uniform format • Classification: Process of defining the classes to which data will be assigned• Quantile Scheme: Method of classifying data by dividing values into groups of equal size •

Aggregated: Data gathered from two or more sources and combined for analysis•

Human Environment Interaction: Direct connection between humans and the

biological and physical world •

Movement: Pattern of travel through geographic space by humans, animals, and

physical systems • Region: Part of the physical world designated by humans as a set of places separate from other sets •

Formal Region: Region with clearly defined boundaries•

Ecological Regions: Defined by measurable natural features and land patterns•

Functional Regions: Defined by human purposes•

Perceptual Regions: Defined by distinct identities different from nearby regions•

Vernacular Regions: Defined by lifestyles, heritages, or other identifying

characteristics of the humans residing in the ecosystems •

Food Chain: Movement of energy and nutrients through an ecosystem•

Trophic Structure: Food chain including producers, consumers, and decomposers•

Producers: Green plants that convert solar energy into food•

Consumers: Herbivores that eat green plants and are eaten by carnivores•

Decomposers: Organisms that transform dead organisms and waste into nutrients for producers •

Hydrosphere: Water climate system•

Lithosphere: Earth atmosphere interface•

Atmosphere: Energy atmosphere system•

Agricultural Revolution: Increased food production supporting population growth• Population Growth: Increase in population due to availability of work and demand for products •

Financial Innovations: Central banks, stock markets, and joint stock companies

encouraging investments, trade, and new technologies •

Enlightenment/The Scientific Revolution: Applying new scientific thinking to

mechanical and technological challenges • Navigable Rivers and Canals: Increased pace and decreased cost of transportation•

Coal: Plentiful energy source used in factories and trains•

Iron Ore: Used to make iron, essential for machinery in factories and transportation•

Urbanization: Migration to cities and expansion of cities•

Industrialization: Transition from agriculture-based economy to large-scale

manufacturing • Weight-Gaining Industry: Products weigh more after processing than raw materials• Weight-Losing Industry: Products weigh less after processing than raw materials•

Agglomeration: Clustering and moving close together•

Deglomeration: Reversing the clustering of industries or businesses•

Tertiary Economic Activity: Providing services to a society•

Quaternary Economic Activity: Providing management or services to a society•

Quinary Economic Activity: Involving high-level thinking, innovation, and policy making • National Debt: Total amount of money owed to creditors by a national government• Budget Deficit: Shortfall that occurs when spending exceeds revenue in a fiscal year• Organic State Theory: Countries must grow or die by adding or losing territory• Heartland Theory: Control of Eastern Europe leads to control of the whole world•

Rimland Theory: Control of lands with most people and resources is key to

controlling the world • Colonialism: Taking control of a territory and its inhabitants by a foreign power• Imperialism: Expansion of a nation's political or economic power over other territories•