Unit 1: Exploring Earth
Chapter 1: Mapping Earth
Lesson 1: Maps
I. Understanding Maps

Maps are flat projections that
come in many different forms
Tues. Feb. 1, 2011
03:05:50
Wed. Feb. 2, 2011
03:05:50
Maps


Most maps are drawn in map viewdrawn as if you were looking down
on an area from above the Earth’s
surface
A profile view is a drawing that
shows an object as though you were
looking at it from the side.
Each Map Contains:



Legend: list of symbols
and their meanings
Scale: ratio between
distances on a map and
actual distances on
Earth’s surface
1:25,000 - one unit on
the map equals 25,000
units on Earth’s surface
II. Reading a Map
Latitude and Longitude

How can I remember which lines
are which?
A. Latitude: distance in degrees NORTH
and SOUTH of the EQUATOR (0°)
Think of latitude like the rungs of a ladder (ladder sounds a
lot like latitude). Latitude lines run east and west, but they
tell how far up (north) you can go or how far down (south)
you can go.

Because lines of latitude
never meet, they are also
known as…
Parallels: circles around the globe N
or S of the Equator


Each degree consists of 60 equal parts called minutes.
Each minute is divided into 60 equal parts called seconds.
D.C. is located at 38°53’51” North
B. Longitude: distance EAST and WEST
of the PRIME MERIDIAN (0°)
When you think of longitude, think of
long, tall telephone poles (because
longitude lines run from pole to pole).
Longitude lines run north and south,
but they tell how far east you can go
or how far west you can go.

Because the Prime MERIDIAN
is the main line of longitude,
they are also known as…
Meridians: semicircles running
from pole to pole.

As with latitude, there are minutes and
seconds: D.C. is 77°0’33” West
III. Plotting Locations



Both latitude and longitude are
needed to locate positions on
Earth precisely.
When giving coordinates,
latitude is always given first.
Do you know the coordinates of
Staunton, VA?
Latitude:
38° 8' 57" N
38 degrees, 8 minutes, 57
seconds North
 Longitude:
79° 4' 18" W
79 degrees, 4 minutes, 18
seconds West

Distance
•
•
•
The distance on Earth's surface for
each one degree of latitude or
longitude = 69 miles (111
kilometers)
The distance between lines of
latitude remains constant. Why?
What happens to the distance
between lines of longitude as you
move north or south of the
Equator?
Time Zones


Earth is divided into 24 time
zones
Why 24?




Earth takes about 24
hours to rotate once
on its axis (360°)
360° ÷ 24 hours =
15° per hour
Each time zone is 15° wide
Each time zone represents a
different hour
International Date Line (IDL)




180° meridian
gain or lose a day
travel WEST across the IDL ►
advance one calendar day
(add 24 hours)
travel EAST across the IDL ►
move back one calendar day
(subtract 24 hours)
Why is the IDL crooked?
IV. Map Projections

Map projection: a flat map that
represents a 3-dimensional globe
Cartography: the science of
map making
1. Cylindrical Projection: map shaped
as a cylinder
2. Conic Projections: cone comes in
contact with one parallel of latitude.
Accurate along the
parallel the cone is in
contact with.
* The most accurate projection
Lesson 2: Technology
and Mapping
General Uses of Maps




Physical Map- uses lines, shading,
and colors to indicate features
(mountains, lakes, streams)
Relief Map- identify mountains and
flay areas
Political Map- show boundaries
between countries, states, township
Road Map- shows interstates, roads,
expressways
Types of Maps
1. Topographic Maps: maps that show
topography (surface features and
elevation changes)

What are some surface features
on Earth that you might find on a
topographic map?
• mountains
• hills
• valleys
• rivers
• forests
• bridges
• depressions
Contour Lines: lines on a map that
connect points of equal elevation.
Contour Interval: the difference in
value between adjacent contour
lines on a map.
Adjacent:




next to
adjoining
abutting
bordering
Contour Rules:

1. Contours never cross or just stop

2. Contours never split


3. The closer they are to each other,
the steeper the land
4. The further they are from each
other the flatter the land



5. If a contour line shows a “V”, the
point of the V points UP hill
6. A river will always flow in the
opposite direction of the V’s point
(DOWN hill)
7. When contours close in a circle,
that represents a hill top
Little ‘teeth’ (hachures) show
depressions (holes) in the land
Every point along a
contour line
represents the same
elevation.
This entire line
represents 1200 feet
above sea level.
11
50
12
12
50
00
Rules for Successful Contouring
Rule #1
Can’t happen!
11
50
12
12
50
00
Contour lines NEVER
split or divide!
11
50
Rules for Successful Contouring
Rule #2
Rules for Successful Contouring
Rule #3
11
50
12
12
50
00
Contour lines cannot
just stop. They must
either form a closed
loop, or run off the
edge of your map.
11
00
This is fine!
?
What’s the elevation
here???
?
What’s going on?? Is
this area above or
below 1200 feet?
?
11
50
12
12
50
00
Contour lines NEVER,
EVER cross
11
00
Rules for Successful Contouring
Rule #4
Tip 1: What does contour line spacing
indicate?
The closer together
the contour lines are,
the steeper the hill is.
The more spread
apart they are, the
gentler the slope.
Traveling along the red
line would be much
steeper than traveling
along the green line.
Tip 2: Which way is the stream
flowing?
When contour lines
cross a stream or
river, they form vshaped kinks in the
lines that always point
upstream.
Also remember - Water
always flows
DOWNHILL!
Blue Creek flow towards the East.
Tip 3: Finding the hill tops
Hill tops are easy to find. Just look for the
concentric closed contour lines that form the top
of a hill. Notice the contour lines that form the
two peaks below.
Tip 4: What do those funny
hachure marks mean?
60
0
0
Some features, such as
80
the Grand Canyon,
lakes, mines, or
0
0
7
sinkholes actually are
holes in the ground.
The hachured
contours indicate a
depression. Don’t
confuse it with a
Depression Contour Lines
hilltop!
1. If you traveled from
point A to point B,
would you be going
uphill or downhill?
2. What landform do
you think this map
depicts?
a. Valley
b. Mountain
c. Plain
0
5
7
0
70
A
B
0
80
X
825
50
0
60
0
70
0
80
0
3. In which direction
does Maple Creek
flow?
a. Northeast
b. Southwest
c. Can’t tell from
information given
4. What is the contour
interval of this map?
a. 50
b. 100
c. 400
le
ap
M
ek
e
Cr
D
B
1150
6. Which hike would
be steeper, from A
to B or from C to D?
C
1200
5. What is the
approximate
elevation at the top
of this hill?
a. 1240
b. 1300
c. 1000
A
1100
8. What type of
landform is depicted
here?
a. a mountain
b. a depression
c. a valley
60
20
40
7. What is the contour
interval of this map?
a. 20 feet
b. -20 feet
c. 60 feet
Topographic Profile

The side-view of a surface feature
2. Geological Map

Show the Geology of the mapped
area.
• geological formation – rocks with similar
origin, age, and rock type.
• geological cross section - profile view
that shows a vertical slice through rocks
below the surface.
Map Technology
1.
2.
Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites used for navigation
Geographic Information System
(GIS) – computerized information
systems used to store and analyze
map data
• Database view - databases on winds,
airplane flight, landing procedures, and
airport layouts
• Map view – set of interactive, digital
maps that shows features and their
relationship to Earth’s surface
• Model view – run simulations under
weather conditions
3.
Remote Sensing – collecting
information about areas without
coming into physical contact
(Landsat, OSTM/Jason-2 and Jason-3,
and SeaBeam)