AP Human Geography - I.Geography: Its Nature and Perspectives - Diffusion Models

Sep 20, 2026

Worksheet-style AP Human Geography notes organizing key geography models by unit: diffusion and distance decay, population and migration, cultural patterns, political geography (no formal models listed), agriculture and rural landscapes, industry and economic development, and urban patterns. The diffusion models section explains verbal definitions, graphic/diagram prompts, and core concepts for expansion, relocation, contagious, hierarchical, and stimulus diffusion, including related terms such as hearth, periphery, diffusion barriers, distance decay, and adoption curves. It also connects diffusion to real-world spatial spread.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

I.Geography: Its Nature and Perspectives

Diffusion Models: Expansion and Relocation

Tobler's Distance Decay Model

II. Population

Demographic Transition Model

Epidemiological Transition Model

Gravity Model

Ravenstein's Nine "Laws" of Migration

Lee's Migration Model

Migration Transition Model

IV. Cultural Patterns and Processes

Core-Domain-Sphere Model

VI. Agriculture and Rural Landscape

Von Thunen's Model

Boserup's Model

VII. Industry and Economic Development

Weber's Model

Rostow's Development Model

Wallerstein's Core-Periphery Model

VIII. Urban Patterns

Christaller's Central Place Theory

Rank-size Rule (Zipf's Law)

North American city models

Other urban pattern models

DIFFUSION MODELS

Verbal description of model

Graphic representation of model

Key points

Takeaway(s)

(TOBLER'S) DISTANCE DECAY MODEL

# I.Geography:Its Nature and Perspectives □ Diffusion Models:Expansion(contagious,hlerarchical)and Relocation* □ Tobler's Distance Decay Model* | Models marked with two asterisks.
WILL be on the AP Exam as
multiple choice questions and may
well be part of one or more CRQs,
Models marked with one asterisk
will likely be on the AP exam at
least in the multiple choice
section.
Models with no asterisks may be
on the AP Exam,
KNOWYOUR MODELS! | | --- | # II.Population □Demographic Transition Model (Must know fluentlyl)** □ Epldemlological Transition Model ⅢI,Migratlon □ Gravity Model (aka Reilly's Law of Retail Gravitation)* □ Ravenstein's Nine "Laws"of Migration* □Lee's Migration Model □ Migration Transition Model* # IV.Cultural Patterns and Processes □ Core-Domain-Sphere Model (D.W.Meinig) V.Political Geography(No models) VI.Agriculture and Rural Landscape □ Von Thunen's Model (of agriculture)** □ Boserup's Model (of agricultural development) # VII.Industry and Economic Development □ Weber's Model (of industrial location)(Least-Cost Theory)* □ Rostow's Development Model (of "modernization")* □ Wallerstein's Core-Periphery Model(aka Wallerstein's World Systems Theory)* # VIII.Urban Patterns □ Christaller's Central Place Theory**(will likely be several questions on this on APExam) □ Rank-size Rule (aka Zipf's Law)(including its corollary:Urban Primacy)* Models of North American cities: □ Burgess'Concentric Zone Model □ Hoyt's Sector model □ Harris-Ullman Multiple Nuclei Model Other Urban Pattern Models: □ Griffen-Ford Model of a Latin American City*(will be at least one question on this on AP Exam) □ Urban Realms Model* # AP Human Geography Model Worksheet | Name of Model | | --- | | Field of study where used (ex.Agricultural Geography,Poltucal Geography.. | | Person who developed the model (Who,Where,When,How) | | Purpose of the Model (summarizeithe model ingeographic areas) | | Strengths of the model | | Limitations/Weaknesses of the model | | Current uses of the model(modifed,debunked,supported in recent tImes?) | | Illustration (praw the model or symbols to demonstrate the key ldeas;don't forget to lnclude an explanatlon)
-Thisshould be drawn on the left slde,opposlte this model sheet,you can lnclude any additional Info or ilustratlons in this box. | , 4* ……1…1,-…4,-,2,=1*- # DIFFUSION MODELS ## A.Verbal description of model (what does the model attempt to describe or predict?): Diffusion models attempt to describe and predict the process by which phenomena spread across space. B.Graphic representation of model: C.Key points: | DIFFUSION
Expansion Diffusion
Relocation Diffuslon
Contaglous Hierarchical Stimulus | | --- | 1.Relocation diffusion:the spread of an idea throughthe physical movement of people (migration)from one place to another.If enough peoplemove,the idea can die out at the hearth.(Examples:Amlsh or Christianity to N.America,horses to N,America,languages,initial phase ofAIDS,crops,religions(initially). 2.Expanslon diffusion:the spread of an idea throughout a population from area to area in a snowballingeffect.Idea,not people,moves.Total number of adopters grow but idea stays strongest at hearth.Threesubtypes (below). ……m…………………………… 3.Contagious diffusion:the rapid,wavelike spread of a phenomenon throughout a population by person toperson contact without regard to hierarchy(no jumping).Key concept:proximity.Examples:disease,anything on internet,adoption of horses or Christianity by native Americans. 4.Hierarchical diffusion;the spread of a phenomenon from powerful persons or places (nodes of authority)such as elites or major cities.Key concept:innovation leapfrogs or jumps over large areas.Examples:fashion (traditionally),Hip Hop,"economic command centers". …hs…:…iih…[i5同图Tinir 5.Stimulus diffusion:the original idea spreads by stimulating ve

FAQs

What do diffusion models describe and predict in AP Human Geography?

Diffusion models describe and predict how phenomena spread across space. They focus on the process of spreading between areas and/or within populations.

How are expansion diffusion and relocation diffusion different?

Expansion diffusion spreads an idea from area to area without the idea physically moving people, often increasing adopters in a snowball effect. Relocation diffusion spreads an idea through the physical movement of people from one place to another.

What is the Tobler’s Distance Decay Model and why does distance matter?

The model describes how spatial interaction declines as distance increases. It is summarized by Tobler’s First Law: everything is related, but near things are more related than distant things, driven by the “friction of distance.”

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Chloe Bennett