Spatial Patterns & Information Selection (College Board AP® Human Geography)
Study Guide
Written by: Kristin Tassin
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Spatial Patterns
Spatial pattern refers to the distribution of phenomena such as settlements across a geographical area
Location
Location is one of the five themes of human geography and refers to where something is found on the earth’s surface
Absolute Location refers to the exact location of a place
Latitude and longitude are often used to express absolute location
Relative Location describes a place in relation to other places and can change based on context
Direction
Direction describes where things are in relation to each other
Absolute direction refers to cardinal directions, which do not change based on perspective
Relative direction is based on an individual’s perception or context. “Ahead,” “left,” and “behind you” are examples of relative direction
Distance
Distance measures how close together or far away things are to one another
Absolute distance measures the exact distance between two places and is given in standardized terms, such as kilometers, miles, or feet
Relative distance measures the perception of distance and generally takes into account things like time, money, or effort required to travel from one place to another
Time-space compression
Time−space Compression describes the phenomenon in which the distance between places seems reduced due to improvements in technology
Time−space compression plays an important role in globalization by making connections between people, ideas, and economies faster
Time−space compression works against the friction of distance, also known as distance decay
Time−space compression counteracts the two closely related phenomena of friction of distance and distance decay
Friction of distance means that distance and interaction are inversely related
The further two people or places are from one another, the less interaction they will have
Distance decay refers to the lessening influence of something the further from its source you travel
Radio waves become weaker the further away from the tower the radio is situated
Modern technologies, including plane travel and the internet, have lessened the effects of distance decay
Information Selection
Map projections take the spherical shape of the earth and display it on a flat surface
Because map projections place the globe onto a two-dimensional surface, cartographers must deal with the problem of distortions:
Shapes of continents or countries can be distorted
Distance between two points can increase or decrease
Relative size may be altered, and areas can appear much larger than they are
Direction can be distorted
Each of the four major types of map projections suffers from different types of distortion
The four major types of map projection are:
Mercator
Gall-Peters
Conic
Robinson
Mercator maps
Mercator maps are characterized by the following:
Latitude and longitude are shown at right angles
Shapes of land masses are preserved, but size is distorted at the poles
They are most commonly used for navigation because they display lines of constant compass-bearing
They distort the relative size of continents
This is often seen by geographers as reproducing certain racist or ethnonationalist ideas.
Image: Mercator map projection
Gall-Peters projection map
Gall-Peters Projection map preserves the correct relative size of landmasses but distorts the shape
Image: Gall-Peters projection map
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The AP Exam often asks about the Mercator and Gall-Peters projections and their shortcomings. You should remember that Mercator projections are most often used for navigation because they preserve the shape of landmasses and include correct latitude and longitude lines. However, Mercator maps distort the relative size of continents. For example, in the image you can see the difference between Greenland and the African continent as shown in the two projections.
The Gall-Peters projection distorts the shape of both landmasses but correctly represents their relative size. The Mercator map reproduces shape correctly, but makes Greenland appear larger than Africa, which it is not. The fact that the Mercator map makes North America and Europe appear relatively larger than South America and Africa is often seen by geographers as reproducing ethnonationalist ideas.
Image: Greenland and Africa in Gall-Peters and Mercator projections
Conic projections
Conic projections show the earth’s surface in the form of a cone
Conic maps are useful for correct navigation in landmasses that primarily run east-west, such as the United States or China
Image: Conic projection
Robinson map projections
Robinson map projections preserve the size and shape of landmasses but distort polar areas
Robinson maps are generally more “correct” in terms of shape and size
However, because the lines of latitude and longitude are not constant, it is not useful for navigation
Image: Robinson projection
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