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Topic/Objective:_______________
Full Name: _______________________________
_____________________________
Class: ___________________
_____________________________
Date: _________________
Period: _____
Essential Question:
Chapter 3: Modeling The Planet
Map:
A Map is a flat, two dimensional ______________ or representation of the Earth’s
______________.
Map Projection:
Modeling a round Earth on a flat surface produces ______________. For example, a projection
that accurately represents the shapes of the continents will distort their ______________
(example: Greenland).
 Cartographers have developed different ______________ to reduce distortion to different
areas for different purposes.
Projection:
A ______________ is a mathematical means of transferring information from the Earth's threedimensional ______________ to a ______________ map.
Mercator Projection:
Strengths:
Weakness:
Gnomonic Projetion:
Strengths:
Weakness:
Polyconic Projection:
Strengths:
Weakness:
Summary:
Essential Question:
Map Scale
Map scale expresses the relationship between the ______________ on a map and the
true, corresponding distance of the same area of the Earth’s ______________.
This comparison is usually shown as a ratio or fraction and is called a ______________
Scale.
 On Topographic Maps, both sides of the ratio represent the ______________
units.
 For example, 1:12,000 means that one centimeter of distance on the map is equal
to 12,000 ______________ on the ground.
A Bar Scale, or map ruler, is a line drawn on a map of known ground length.
 Bar Scales are useful because they allow the map reader to quickly estimate
distance by laying a piece of _______________next to the scale, marking the
paper, and then using the paper like a ruler to measure map distance.
Map Orientation
 Orientation is using the cardinal directions of North, South, East and West on the
map and determining the same directions on the ground.
 A _______________is usually used to determine the cardinal directions on the
ground.
 A compass does not normally point to true ______________. Only in a few
places does _______________ North and ________________ North line up with
each other.
 The direction in which the compass needle points is referred to as
______________ ____________, and the angle between magnetic north and the
true (geographical) north direction is called Magnetic ______________.
 Effects of Magnetic Declination:
Declination or Degrees off course
Error off target after 10 miles
Topographic Maps
A ______________ Map is the representation on a flat surface of part of the Earth’s
surface drawn to scale.
Topographic maps show ________________ relationships and _________________,
and help visualize Topography, or the way the land actually looks in three dimensions.
Topography actually means
“_______________________________________________________________”.
Summary:
Essential Question:

On topographic maps different ______________ and _______________ are used
to indicate different features including bodies of water and human-made
structures.
o The color ______________ indicates features associated with water.
o The color ______________ indicates features associated with vegetation.
o The color ______________ indicates elevation.
Contour Lines
The distinctive characteristic of a Topographic Map is that the shape of the Earth's
surface is shown by ______________. They are always shown as brown lines on a
topographic map.
 Contour Lines are imaginary lines that join points of ______________ elevation
on the surface of the land above and below a reference point, such as sea level.
 Every point on a contour line, therefore, has the exact ______________
elevation.
 Contours make it possible to determine the shape of the land, measure the height
of mountains, depths of the ocean bottom, and steepness of slopes.
 Depending on the degree of elevation change that occurs in a given area, a
topographic map can have few or many ______________ on it.
 The greater the elevation change, the ______________ contour lines there will be
on a map.
 Contour lines can be drawn for any elevation, but to prevent a map from
becoming “cluttered”, only certain elevations are drawn.
o These elevations are chosen to be evenly spaced vertically.
o This spacing is referred to a Contour ______________, which we will
discuss later.
There are several different types of contour lines on topographic maps. They are
___________Contours, __________________ Contours and
__________________Contours.
 Contour Lines that have elevations shown are called ___________ Contour
Lines.
o These types of contour lines tend to be displayed on every 100 meter or
foot contour line.
o They are darker than others.
 Contour lines that are draw between Index contour lines are referred to as
________________________ Contour Lines
o They do not have their elevations shown.
 _______________ Contours are contour lines that show areas that are
surrounded on all sides by higher elevations. Depression Contours have
perpendicular hash marks on them. And are often circular in shape.
Summary:
Essential Question:
Contour Lines make it possible to determine the shape of the land without looking being
at the location depicted on the map. Using the following Rules make it helpful in
understanding the information Contour lines can tell us about an area.
Rules of Contour Lines
1. All points on a contour line are at the same elevation.
2. Contour lines are drawn at uniform vertical intervals, called the contour interval.
3. Contour lines do not cross, except at overhangs, which are rarely mapped. Contour
lines may meet only at a vertical cliff.
4. The spacing of contour lines indicates the degree and kind of slope:
closer spacing = __________________
wide spacing = ___________________
5. U-shaped or V-shaped lines indicate valleys or ridges. Contours crossing a river or
gully form a V or U whose apex points uphill. Contours crossing a ridge form a V or U
which points down the ridge.
6. Closed contour lines (circles or ellipses) indicate peaks.
Exception: depressions also have closed contour lines, but these lines have hash marks on
them and are at the same elevation as the closest non-hachured contour.
7. Spot elevations (or bench marks, B.M.) may be marked on the map with an exact
altitude. Mountain summits are very often marked in this way.
8. The difference in elevation between the highest and lowest point of a given area is the
'maximum relief' of that area.
Contour Interval
Contour Interval is the _____________________ in elevation between adjacent contour
lines.
 Contour interval for a map is found in the legend or in the __________________.
 The contour interval is __________________ for each map.
 In areas with a large elevation increase, contour interval is usually larger to
prevent the map from becoming cluttered with too many contour lines.
 There are times you will be required to identify the contour interval map sections
that do not show the information usually found in the map margin. (Usually when
only a portion of a map is shown or the margin of the maps has been removed)
o This is accomplished by:
 Finding the elevations of __________ different Index Contours.
 Determining the total _____________ change between the two
Index Contours
 Dividing the total elevation change between the two Index
Contours by the number of ______________ from one Index
Contour to the next Index contour.
Summary:
Essential Question:
Slope and Elevation
Topographic maps are not just used for determining elevation. They can also be used to
help visualize topography.
 One of the most basic visualizations is Slope or Gradient.
 Slope or Gradient refers to the change in elevation over a certain distance (rise
over run).
 On a map, this is shown as the distance between one contour line and the next.
 High (steep) gradient or slope occurs where there is a large change in elevation
over a short distance, and low (or gentle) gradients occur in areas where there is
little change in elevation over a given distance (the land is “flat”).
How to determine Slope or Gradient:
 You need to determine the change in ________________ that occurs between
those two points (example: if you start at 1400 feet in elevation and the end of
your measurement is at 3165 feet, your elevation change is 1765 feet).
 Then you need to determine the ________________ between two points
(example: 2 mile).
 Then you divide the change in _______________ by the distance. (Slope =
Rise/Run).
Topographic Map Profiles
Topographic map profile allows you a visual side perspective of an area so that you can
see the land forms from a side view. Similar to what you would see if you were standing
on the ground in that area.
Profiles are created using the following steps:
1. Draw a line between two points on a map
2. Using a piece of paper transfer the elevation readings (corresponding to the
contour lines drawn on the map) on to the paper
3. Then using a vertical graph paper transfer the elevation data on to the graph
paper.
4. Connect the elevations to show the profile of area along the line you drew on the
map.
Summary:
Essential Question:
Summary: