1. Characteristics of Place, Site and Situation

2. Characteristics of Place

3. Place
Place is the description of what and how we see and experience a certain aspect of the Earth’s surface
Place describes what a location is like
Physical characteristics include climate, landforms, and vegetation
Human characteristics include culture, cities, and other changes to the environment

4. Toponym Place names on maps
Sometimes the color or the size of the writing indicates importance of the place
They also indicate cultural information, such as language and religion

5. Site and Situation

6. Site
Site refers to the internal, physical characteristics of a place that are unlikely to change, such as geological formations, soil, or structures.
Refers to a physical description of a place
This can involve absolute location, and physical characteristics of place

7. Example of Site Barcelona, Spain Hill for defense
Reliable water supply for drinking and power
Fertile farmland
Flat land for building
Sheltered by hills to the north
South-facing slope
Natural harbor
Construction material

8. Situation
Situation is defined as the location of a place relative to its surroundings and other places
Factors included in an area's situation include the accessibility of the location, the extent of a place's connections with another, and how close an area may be to raw materials if they are not located specifically on the site

9. Example of Situation Barcelona, Spain Port Route Centre
Limestone quarries
Close to wealthy NW European markets

10. Diffusion

11. Diffusion Diffusion is the movement of any characteristic
Diffusion relates to the movement theme of Geography
A hearth is where the characteristic began

12. Relocation Diffusion
Relocation Diffusion is the physical spread of cultures, ideas, and diseases through people
Usually occurs with migration
Examples: Bubonic Plague, colonization of North America, religion and language in South America

13. Migration Diffusion
Migration diffusion: a particular type of relocation diffusion associated with the movement of people

14. Expansion Diffusion
Expansion Diffusion is the spread of a characteristic from a central node or hearth through various means

15. Hierarchial Diffusion
Hierarchical Diffusion: the idea that a phenomenon spreads by the social elite, and then filters down through the masses
Example: Fashion, AIDS

16. Reverse Hierarchial Diffusion
Reverse Hierarchical Diffusion: when a phenomenon spreads first through the masses, and works up to the social elite
Example: Nascar, Walmart, Rap Music

17. Contagious Diffusion
Contagious Diffusion is a type of expansion diffusion usually associated with a disease
The phenomenon spreads without regard to race, social status, or family status
Examples: the plague, or the Internet

18. Stimulus Diffusion
Stimulus Diffusion is a type of expansion diffusion where part of an idea spreads and creates an innovative product
Example: technology, McDonald’s in India

19. Distribution, Density, and Patterns

20. Distribution
Everything on the Earth’s surface has a physical location and is organized in space
This is called distribution

21. Density
Density is how often an object occurs within a given area or space

22. Population Density
Population Density: looks at how many people occupy a given amount of space

23. Physiological Density
Physiological Density: refers to the number of people divided by the arable (farmable) land

24. Arithmetic Density
Arithmetic Density: calculates the density using all land in a given area

25. Concentration
Concentration refers to how common something is in a given area

26. Pattern Pattern relates to how objects are organized in their space
Patterns are described using geometric shapes

27. Linear Pattern Linear pattern: the objects are along a single line
Example: gas stations along a highway

28. Centralized Centralized: the objects are clustered together
Example: Ethnic neighborhoods, flower district

29. Random Distribution
Random Distribution: lack of pattern on the landscape