๐ Topic Summary
The Gravity Model of Migration, inspired by Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation, suggests that the interaction between two places (like migration flow) is directly proportional to the product of their populations and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. In simpler terms, larger populations attract more migrants, and closer places have stronger interactions. However, it's important to remember that this is a simplified model and doesn't account for all the complexities of human migration, such as political factors, personal preferences, or economic opportunities. It provides a basic framework for understanding migration patterns.
Think of it this way: big cities tend to pull in more people, and moving next door is usually easier than moving across the country!
๐๏ธ Part A: Vocabulary
Match the term with the correct definition:
| Term |
Definition |
| 1. Population Size |
A. The measure of the physical space between two locations. |
| 2. Distance Decay |
B. The total number of people living in a particular area. |
| 3. Gravity Model |
C. The decline of an activity or function with increasing distance from its point of origin. |
| 4. Migration Flow |
D. A model that predicts interaction between places based on population size and distance. |
| 5. Spatial Separation |
E. The number of migrants moving from one place to another during a specific time. |
(Answers: 1-B, 2-C, 3-D, 4-E, 5-A)
โ๏ธ Part B: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the following paragraph using the words provided: population, inversely, distance, migration, directly.
The Gravity Model of __________ suggests that the interaction between two locations is __________ related to the __________ of their __________, and __________ related to the __________ between them.
(Answer: migration, directly, population, inversely, distance)
๐ค Part C: Critical Thinking
How can the Gravity Model be used to predict future migration patterns? What are some limitations of using this model?