Elements of Geography

1. 5. Environment and society

1.1. HEI: Human environment interaction How people and environment affect each other

1.1.1. ADAPTION: Humans change their behavior to adjust to the environment Example: House on stilts Airconditioning Solar Panels

1.1.2. MODIFICATION: Humans change the environment to fit their needs Example: cutting down trees for farmland Mining Building a Dam Terrace Farming

2. 4. Human systems

2.1. Human activities and their relationships to the cultural or physical environments. Movement

3. 6. The uses of geography

3.1. What do we use geography for?

3.1.1. We use geography to have a better understanding of the planet we live on, its people, plants, and animals and how we affect each other.

4. 1. The world in spatial terms

4.1. Spatial- relating to space (not outer space, just space) Location: Absolute Relative

4.2. Absolute: an exact point on the earth Examples: Address or coordinates

4.3. Relative: uses a reference point to identify one place in relation to another Examples: San Antonio is west of Houston Chic Fil A is near Sonic

5. 2. Places and regions

5.1. Places: what is it like? What is Katy like? Regions: Formal, functional, perceptual

5.2. Formal region: the region is defined and has set boundaries characteristics of this region are the same throughout the space -> these can be common physical or cultural characteristics Examples: Latin America Europe The Great Plains The Saharan Desert United States

5.3. Functional region: incorporates a central hub (node) and a surrounding area that is connected to the central hub Examples: City- highways connect suburbs to downtown Houston Utilities- water plant, sewage Cell Tower- phone coverage region Radio Tower International Airport Subway system

5.4. Perceptual region: defined by people's attitude or feeling about an area based on their own perception reflects individual mental maps can stem from stereotypes there are no set or defined borders Example: The South referred to as 'Heart of Dixie" "Cotton Belt"

6. 3. Physical systems

6.1. climate, land, water, plants, animal life