Topographic Maps
Topography
= describes the surface features of the land
1. Elevation
= height above Sea Level
2. Relief
= how much variation in elevation as area has
3. Contour Lines = line
drawn on a map to join all points of the
same elevation
4. Contour
Interval = the difference in elevation between
2 contour lines
Landforms
Plains
= vast flat areas
a. youngest
landform
b. usually
covered with loose material and rock below
Plateau
= high flat areas next to mountains
I. Mountains
A. The
process of mountain building is called Orogeny
1. Folded
Mountain = made of rocks that have been squeezed from either side forming folds
a. Appalachian
Mountains
2. Upwarped
Mountains = Earth's crust moves up and shifts the soft surface layer, Soon the
hard core is exposed
a. Black
Hills of South Dakota
3. Fault
Block = at least one side faces a fault and magma flows into the crust and can
cause a fracturing of the region
4. Volcano = mountain built up by molten lava
5 Rules for Map Making
1. Contour lines are close around hills, basins,
and depressions
2. Contour lines never cross
3. Contour lines appear on both sides of an area
where the slope reverses direction
4. Contour lines form a V shape that points
upstream when crossing rivers and streams
5. Contour lines extend beyond the edges of a map
Latitude and Longtitude
Latitude
= is north and south of the equator
Longitude
= is east to west of the Prime Meridean
1. Longitude
is not parallel; the lines are furthest apart at the equator
a. the Prime Meridian runs through Greenwich
England (0degrees Long.)
b. 180
Degrees Longitude is the International Dateline
Time
Time
of day or night depends on Longitude and Location of the Sun
A. Longitude
divides the Earth into 24 units
1.
Each is 15 Degrees
B. International
Date Line is 12 zones from the Prime Meridian
1. One day lost going west of the PM
2. One day gained going east of the
PM
Map Types
A. Globe = Best Earth model as it very closely
resembles the Earth's shape
B. Mercator Map = Latitude and Longitude are
parallel and intersect at right angles
1. Maps
that are distorted at the poles
C. Polar Projection = flat piece of paper is
placed above either pole
1. the
further away from the poles the more distorted they become
D. Conic projection = paper is rolled in the
shape of a cone and placed on the desired area
1. this
makes an accurate map of a small area
2. the
area of contact is the most accurate