A compass is a directional geographical tool.
Geography is the study of the world's topography, populations, atmospheres and systems and environments. Geography merges the social, or human, and natural, or physical, sciences, defining the relationship between human beings and their environment. Geographers uses specific tools to study, compare, measure and represent geographical features and models.
Maps
Maps are graphical models of qualitative and quantitative attributes of specific areas. General maps display qualitative features, including data that is categorized or ranked, as in land mass size, and data that is named, as in the name of a country or state. These maps are illustrated from data retrieved from aerial or satellite images. Highway maps displaying cities, states and interconnecting highways and roads are examples of general maps.
A thematic map tracks statistical variables and represents attributes not normally discernible from an aerial or satellite map. For example, population density maps are thematic.
A cartogram is a type of thematic map that displays spatial data and shows comparative images based on the actual amount of the variable under review. An atlas is an example of this type of map since it uses actual land mass size to display a proportional figure of all land masses. For example, the representation for the country of Japan is smaller than the one of China.
Special purpose maps show specific features not available on other maps. A meteorologist uses a special purpose map to track weather-related events such as precipitation values for a specific region.
Geographic Information, Global Positioning and Directional Systems
Geographic information systems (GIS) merges mapping technique, a database and computer technology to store, analyze and manipulate spatial data. This tool eliminates the need to manually depict maps since it can alter line, points and other geographical symbols rapidly and accurately. For example, GIS technology can draw a map showing all U.S. cities with populations over 1 million.
Global positioning system (GPS) technology creates virtual maps by using in-space satellites to acquire spatial positioning. This technology was developed for the U.S. military. Currently, millions of civilians worldwide use global positioning devices for location, mapping and directional assistance.
A compass is a simple navigational tool. This device consists of a magnet placed on a small field. The magnet reacts to the earth's magnetic core by pivoting or pulling toward the north magnetic pole.
Remote Sensing
Remote sensing uses aerial photography, satellite images, radar and microwaves to study the planets while detailing natural and man-made attributes. This tool uses the electromagnetic energy, such as the light spectrum, to detect and analyze surface properties and images and provide comparative data. Weather maps use this technique to display accurate weather events and predictions of upcoming variables such as temperature and snow amount.
Mathematical Models
Mathematical models allow a geographer to understand or predict complicated spatial relationships. Models use quantifiable observations or trends to represent a human or physical phenomenon. For example, a pollution model uses a mathematical formula to calculate and display the relationship between the amount of automobile emissions, smog and amount of respiratory illness for a given geographical area.
Tags: aerial satellite, data that, from aerial, from aerial satellite, land mass
