Unit 4: MAPPING THE EARTHSTUDENT NOTES PACKET

ABSTRACTThis unit covers the topics of latitude and longitude as well as interpreting and constructing topographic maps.

STUDENT NAME:____________________________________________

NYS Regents Earth Science Mr. BurgessUnit 4: Mapping the Earth Notes PacketAfter Unit 4 you should be able to:

o Accurately write coordinates

o Use a map containing latitude and longitude

o Determine latitude using the altitude of Polaris

o Determine differences in time zones

o Successfully use all maps from the ESRT containing latitude and longitude

o Interpret major topographical features such as hills, river valleys, and depressions

o Accurately draw contour lines

o Determine the direction a stream is flowing

o Determine the contour interval on a map

o Determine the gradient of a feature such as a hill or a stream

o Correctly draw a profile of a topographical feature

o Determine the steepest side of a topographical feature such as a hill or lake

o Determine the maximum altitude of a mountain or hill

Unit 4 vocabulary you should be able to use and understand:

o Coordinateso Latitudeo Longitudeo Equatoro Parallelso Meridianso Altitudeo Polariso Little Dippero Prime Meridiano Tropic of Cancero Tropic of Capricorno International Date Lineo Time zoneso Topographic mapo Fieldo Contour lineo Elevationo Depression

o Contour intervalo Index contour lineo Gradiento Steepo Distanceo Profile

The creation and interpretation of maps are very important skills and are critical aspects of a student’s understanding in Earth Science. The standard systems of latitude and longitude and topography will be covered in this unit.

How do we describe our position on Earth?

We use the internationally accepted system of _____________________________________________

A set of specific coordinates can describe any location on Earth’s surface with a high degree of precision

Being Specific Using Coordinates

Lines of latitude and longitude are broken into __________________________

Modern GPS units use decimal degrees such as (72.4718 oN , 155.9436 oW)

On printed maps however, each degree of latitude or longitude is broken into ___ minutes (‘), and each minute is broken into ___ seconds (“). We will use this system.

At the Equator, a whole degree of latitude or longitude is about 70 miles high or wide.

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NYS Regents Earth Science Mr. BurgessUnit 4: Mapping the Earth Notes Packet

Reading Coordinates

Coordinates are read __________________________________

__________________________readings will be North or South

__________________________ readings will be East or West

For example:

43o13’56” N , 77o34’19” W would read:

43 degrees 13 minutes 56 seconds North, 77 degrees 34 minutes 19 seconds West

Latitude

Lines of latitude run _______________________, or from side to side, on the Earth

Lines of latitude are sometimes referred to as _______________________________

Lines of latitude describe the degrees ___________________ (Northern Hemisphere) or ____________________ (Southern Hemisphere) of the ________________________

Lines of Latitude

The Equator is ____ up to ____ North (________________________) and ____ South (_______________________)

The ________________ rays of the _________ strike only in the tropics (between 23.5 oN and 23.5 oS)

Tropic of Cancer ___________________________________________

Tropic of Capricorn _________________________________________

How were lines of latitude developed?

Lines of latitude are equal to the angle from the center of the Earth _______________________________________ (North and South)

Latitude and the North Star (Polaris)

________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________

This is true only in the Northern Hemisphere because that is where Polaris is visible

Locating Polaris

Polaris can be found in the ___________________________________________________

Polaris is part of the _____________________________________________ constellation

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NYS Regents Earth Science Mr. BurgessUnit 4: Mapping the Earth Notes Packet

Longitude

Lines of longitude run ______________________ on the Earth and converge at the ____________________________________

Lines of longitude are often called __________________________________

Lines of Longitude

Lines of longitude are constructed based on the angle to the ___________________________________________________________________________ (0o) from the center of the Earth

The lines measure up to ____ in either direction (____________________)

At roughly 180o is the ____________________________________________________, a location where a new day begins and an old day ends

Time Zones

Each hour, ____ of longitude is _______________________ eastward

This is a basis for our worldwide ________________________, each about ____________________

The day is older in the East and younger in the West

While latitude and longitude allow the pinpointing of a location on Earth, topographic maps allow surficial features to be expressed on a map, primarily elevation.

What is a topographic map?

A topographic map mainly shows _____________________________________________ (height above or below sea level) and bodies of water

Topographic maps offer a 1-dimensional view of a 3-dimensional landscape

Some advanced maps show additional features such as roads, buildings and many other items. These are typically identified in a key.

The map on this page shows the 7.5 minute x 15 minute (1/8o latitude x 1/40 longitude) quadrangle featuring Upper Saranac Lake in the Adirondack Mountains. Note the scale and key on the right side of the map.

Maps like this are important to search and rescue teams as well as hikers.

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NYS Regents Earth Science Mr. BurgessUnit 4: Mapping the Earth Notes Packet

Fields

A ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Measurements can be taken for a number of different variables but ____________________________ is the measurement represented by contour lines on a topographic map.

Again referring to the Upper Saranac Lake Map, you can see that the field (measureable area) is defined by lines of latitude and longitude. This is standard for topographic maps.

Drawing Contour Lines

Draw contour lines that connect elevation of _____________________ value in the field

Lines are equal to an elevation which has units such as ________________________________________

Depressions

Occasionally _______________________________________ must be represented on a map

The contour line is drawn as usual and then inside of the line ______________________________ are drawn to show a decrease in elevation

Contour Lines Rules

All points on the line are of _____________________________________________________

So any point on the 500 ft. contour line will be equal to 500 ft. in elevation

For this reason, contour lines will _________________________________________________

Unless there is a vertical or overhanging cliff

Contour Lines Rules Continued

When drawing contour lines, they should be ___________________________

Contour lines should ___________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________

Contour lines follow the same rules as any isoline

________________________________________________________

Tip: Highlight elevation that you know that value will go through before drawing the line

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NYS Regents Earth Science Mr. BurgessUnit 4: Mapping the Earth Notes Packet

Draw the 50 and 100 foot contour lines

What is the value of the ocean shoreline?

Stream Flow

When you see ____ in a stream channel, the __________________________________________________________

Therefore, the stream flows opposite (or _______________) the V

Draw the 500, 520, 540, 560, 580, and 600 ft. contour lines, then determine stream flow using arrows.

What is a contour interval?

A contour interval is ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Steps can be taken to determine what the interval is

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NYS Regents Earth Science Mr. BurgessUnit 4: Mapping the Earth Notes Packet

Steps to determining contour intervals:

Determine the difference in value between 2 close index contours (lines that are labeled)

____________________________

Steps to determining contour intervals

Determine the number of lines from one index contour line to the next

____________________________

Steps to determining contour intervals

Divide

Answer: ______________________________________________

Trends in Contour Lines

We can expect a steeper gradient (_________________) where the

_____________________________________________________________________

This indicates a more rapid change in elevation. Consider the lines on the topographic map from Chimney Bluffs field trip. The first hill we climbed was quite steep, as were the bluffs themselves, both represented by very close contour lines in your note packet.

Additional Trends

_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ To determine which of these you are looking at, examine the contour lines around the closed loop. Are they higher or lower?

If the lines decrease in value, you have a hill or mountaintop. If they increase you have a depression or lake. Again, looking at the Chimney Bluffs formation, we see closed loops at the summit of the drumlin.

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NYS Regents Earth Science Mr. BurgessUnit 4: Mapping the Earth Notes PacketWhat is the gradient on a topographic map?

_____________________________________________________________

The gradient between two points describes the change in elevation over a distance

Another word for gradient is ____________. Consider that the equation for gradient is very similar to that of slope in a mathematics course (_________________).

Steps:

1. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Determine the gradient between points X and Y on the map in your notes.

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NYS Regents Earth Science Mr. BurgessUnit 4: Mapping the Earth Notes PacketDetermining Possible Elevations

Remember that each contour line is equal to a value, so any point in between contour lines must be ___________________________________________________________________________

Mountaintops cannot exceed the next possible contour line elevation if that line does not exist.

What are possible elevations of point A in the map in your notes?

What is a profile?

A profile is the ________________________________________________ of a topographic feature

How do you create a profile?

Use a strip of paper to create tick marks on the contour lines (label elevation for each)

Use the tick marks to plot the points appropriately and connect with a smooth, arching line

Create a profile of Mount St. Helens and Lake Ontario

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