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MAPS

Daniel R. Barnesinitialized 4/4/2005

Latitude = degrees away from the equator

High latitudes have cold climates

Low latitudes have hot, “tropical” climates

EQUATOR

SWBAT . . .

. . . interpret topographic maps.

On a Mercator projection, Greenland looks as wide as South America

This is a “Mercator projection”.

This one happens to be color coded by elevation

These are more realistic relative sizes for Greenland and South America. Greenland’s not quite as wide as South America, is it? Look on a globe if you don’t believe me.

Greenland

South America

Robinson projection: less polar distortion than a Mercator projection, but still

stretched a lot near the poles.

Red lines are highways

What are the red lines?

What’s this symbol?. An AIRPORT!

What are all the squiggley lines curving all over the place?

contour lines

What’s this?

and this? and this?

HILLTOPS or MOUNTAIN PEAKS

Can you see the hash marks pointing inward?

Those marks point downhill, often toward a lake or a pond.

X 15,735

This is a hilltop This is a pit.It might even be a volcanic crater.

Pass out the TopographicMap Analysis Worksheet

1. The squiggly lines are called . . .

. . . contour lines

TopographicMap Analysis Worksheet

2. The numbers found on some of the lines indicate . . .

. . . elevation

= altitude

= height above sea level

Note that the scale is in metric units, so the elevations are in meters.

3. What does it mean when the lines are all close together?

. . . A steep slope, maybe even a cliff.

TopographicMap Analysis Worksheet

4. What does it mean when the lines are spread far apart?

. . . A gentle slope, maybe even terrain you would call “flat”

TopographicMap Analysis Worksheet

5. Where on the map do you think streams would flow during the rainy season or in the spring when snow melts?

. . . Look for the parallel “V’s” that point uphill.

TopographicMap Analysis Worksheet

6. Where are the flat areas?

. . . wherever the lines are far apart

TopographicMap Analysis Worksheet

FLAT

FLAT

FLAT

FLAT

FLAT

FLAT

FLAT

FLAT

FLAT

7. Where are the cliffs?

. . . wherever the lines are close together

TopographicMap Analysis Worksheet

FLAT

FLAT

FLAT

FLAT

FLAT

FLAT

FLAT

FLAT

FLAT

9.2 cm

9.2 cm x 0.5km/cm =

9.2

x 0.5 0

1

4 6 .

km4.60

x 0.5 km/cm =13 a. 6.4 cm km

6.4x 0.5

0

2

3 2.

3.20

12,000 feet

-11,000 feet

1,000 feet

1,000 feet

5 lines

5)1000

= feet/line

2

1000

00

200

contour interval = 200 feet

11,200

11,400

11,600

11,800

12,200

12,400

10,800