Definitions for test #5 Flashcards
Elevation?
Height above a given level, especially sea level.
EX: A ballet dancer leaping 3 feet in the air.
Contour line?
A line on a map joining points of equal height above or below sea level.
EX: In topographic maps which shows valleys and hills, and the steepness or gentleness of slopes.
Longitude?
The measurement of imaginary lines that run around the Earth vertically (up and down) and meet at the North and South Poles.
EX: A degree of longitude is about 111 kilometers (69 miles) at its widest.
Prime meridian?
The line of 0° longitude, the starting point for measuring distance both east and west around the Earth.
EX: 0° longitude
International dateline?
An imaginary line extending between the North Pole and the South Pole and arbitrarily demarcating each calendar day from the next.
EX: When it’s 3 pm on Sunday in Samoa, it’s 3 pm on Monday right across the line
Eastern hemisphere?
The half of Earth that lies east of the Greenwich meridian (prime meridian, 0° longitude) continuing to the 180th meridian.
Tropic of Cancer?
The parallel of latitude that is approximately 23¹/₂ degrees north of the equator and that is the northernmost latitude reached by the overhead sun.
Arctic circle?
The parallel of latitude that is approximately 23¹/₂ degrees north of the equator and that is the northernmost latitude reached by the overhead sun.
Topography?
A detailed description or representation on a map of the natural and artificial features of an area.
EX: mountains, hills, lakes, elevation as recorded on a map.
Contour interval?
The vertical distance between the elevations represented by adjacent contour lines on a map.
Latitude?
The measurement of distance north or south of the Equator. (Parallel)
Southern hemisphere?
The part of the earth that lies south of the equator.
Northern hemisphere?
The half of the earth that lies north of the equator.
Western hemisphere?
The half of Earth that lies west of the Greenwich meridian (prime meridian, 0° longitude) continuing to the 180th meridian.
Tropic of Capricorn?
Lies at 23d 26’ 22” (23.4394 degrees) south of the Equator and marks the most southerly latitude at which the sun can appear directly overhead at noon.
Antarctic Circle?
The parallel of latitude is approximately 66¹/₂ degrees south of the equator and that circumscribes the southern frigid zone.
Map scale?
The relationship (or ratio) between distance on a map and the corresponding distance on the ground.
Index contour?
Bold or thicker lines that appear at every fifth contour line.
The Equator?
An imaginary line is drawn on the Earth and spaced equally between the North and South Pole. An example of the equator is the latitude of 0°
The North Pole?
The point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth’s axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distinguish it from the Magnetic North Pole.
The South Pole?
The South Pole is at the southernmost point on the Earth.
