Final answer:
The zone of transition, referred to as Zone B in the concentric zone model, is the area right outside the city's central business district and is characterized by significant physical deterioration and a concentration of social problems.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concentric zone model formulated by Burgess in 1925 is a key concept in urban sociology, delineating the internal structure of cities into distinct areas radiating outward from the central business district. The model proposes that cities grow in a series of concentric rings, with different social characteristics and land uses. According to this model, the area immediately outside the downtown core, known as Zone B or the zone of transition, showcases considerable physical decay and social troubles. This zone is marked by formerly affluent homes converted into low-cost apartments, housing new immigrants and accommodating marginal businesses such as small factories and pawnshops.
This zone of transition represents an area of flux, where the evolution of urban space is most apparent through the processes of invasion and succession. It is an integral concept for understanding urban dynamics and the spatial distribution of urban social issues.