Chapter 2 Flashcards
Cartography
The science of mapmaking
Equator
Imaginary line that divides the northern and southern hemispheresy
Latitude
Imaginary lines running parallel to the equator
Longitude
Imaginary lines that run perpendicular to the equator
Prime meridian
Represents 0 degrees longitude
International date line
The transition line for calendar days
Mercator projection
A map that has parallel lines of longitude and latitude
Conic projection
Puts points and lines from the globe onto a cone
Gnomonic projections
A view of the earth with one of the poles in the center
Topographic maps
A map that shows changes in elevation (mountains, rivers, oceans, and other features)
Contour line
Connects points of equal elevation on a topographic map
Contour interval
Difference of elevation between two side by side contour lines
Map legend
Explains what symbols on a map mean
Map scale
A ratio between distances on a map and actual distances
Remote sensing
The process of collecting data about earth from space
Electromagnetic spectrum
A spectrum that arranges types of energy that emit both electricity and magnetism according to their wavelengths
Frequency
Something that describes the number of waves that pass a certain point every second
Landsat satellite
A satellite that detects wavelengths of energy coming from earths surface
Topex/Poseidon satellite
Uses radar to map out the ocean floor
Global Positioning System (GPS)
A navigation system based on satellites and phones
Sonar
The use of sound waves to detect stuff
