Mapping the Earth

Question 1

Define elevation

Answer 1

Distance from sea level

Question 2

Define longitude

Answer 2

Distance in degrees east or west of the prime meridian

Question 3

Define latitude

Answer 3

Distance in degrees north or south of the equator

Question 4

Define equator

Answer 4

Imaginary line that separates Earth into northern and southern hemispheres

Question 5

Define prime meridian

Answer 5

Reference point for longitude that passes through Greenwich, England, and represents 0°

Question 6

Define Southern hemisphere

Answer 6

South side of the Earth divided by the equator

Question 7

Define Northern hemisphere

Answer 7

North side of the Earth divided by the equator

Question 8

Define Western hemisphere

Answer 8

West side of the Earth divided by the Prime meridian

Question 9

Define Eastern hemisphere

Answer 9

East side of the Earth divided by the Prime meridian

Question 10

Define North Pole

Answer 10

Found 90°N from the equator

Question 11

Define South Pole

Answer 11

Found 90°S from the equator

Question 12

Define Tropic of Cancer

Answer 12

Found 23 1/2°S from the equator

Question 13

Define Tropic of Capricorn

Answer 13

Found 23 1/2°S from the equator

Question 14

Define Arctic Circle

Answer 14

Found 66 1/2°N from the equator

Question 15

Define Antarctic Circle

Answer 15

Found 66 1/2°S from the equator

Question 16

Define topography

Answer 16

A detailed description or representation of physical features of an area shown on a map

Question 17

Define contour interval

Answer 17

The distance between two contour lines

Question 18

Define contour lines

Answer 18

Lines showing equal points in elevation

Question 19

Define International Date Line

Answer 19

Line used to separate time zones. Found 180° from the Prime Meridian. Crossing from West to East, add a day. Crossing East to West, subtract a day

Question 20

Define index contour

Answer 20

5th contour line. Bolded and usually labeled to show elevation

Question 21

Define map scale

Answer 21

The scale between the representation on the map and the actual physical details

Question 22

What does brown represent on a topographic map?

Answer 22

Contour lines, physical properties of the land

Question 23

What does blue represent on a topographic map?

Answer 23

Bodies of water, rivers, oceans, lakes, streams, ponds, canals, etc.

Question 24

What does green represent on a topographic map?

Answer 24

Forests, woodlands, etc.

Question 25

What does black represent on a topographic map?

Answer 25

Roads, railroads, buildings, land boundaries, etc.

Question 26

What does red represent on a topographic map?

Answer 26

Major roads, land boundaries, coordinantes, etc.

Question 27

What does peach (and sometimes purple) represent on a topographic map?

Answer 27

Revisions

Question 28

How do you calculate relief?

Answer 28

Subtract the lowest elevation from the highest elevation

Question 29

What are the types of scales on a topographic map?

Answer 29

Fractional scale, graphical scale, and verbal scale

Question 30

On a set of coordinates such as (3598, -8926), what digits show latitude? Which show longitude?

Answer 30

3598 would be latitude and -8926 would be longitude

Question 31

What shows depressions in topographic maps?

Answer 31

Hachure marks

Question 32

What shows valleys in topographic maps?

Answer 32

Straight (or almost) straight lines

Question 33

What is the purpose of topographic maps?

Answer 33

To show the features of Earth accurately on a two-dimensional model

Question 34

What is magnetic north?

Answer 34

The direction of north as defined by Earth’s gravitational field

Question 35

What is true north?

Answer 35

The direction of north as defined by the geographic direction of north

Question 36

What do topographic maps have to show?

Answer 36

Steepness of a slope, depths of a body of water, and the shape and elevations of hills, mountains, valleys, etc.

Question 37

What are the rules of contour lines?

Answer 37

Rule 1 - every point of a contour line has the same elevation.
Rule 2 - contour lines separate uphill from downhill.
Rule 3 - contour lines do not touch or cross each other except at a cliff.
Rule 4 - every 5th contour line is darker in color. This is an index contour line.
Rule 5 - Contour lines are closer together in steep terrain and farther apart in flat areas.
Rule 6 - Contour lines close to form circles (or go off the map) and the inside of the circle is
the top of a hill.
Rule 7 - Closed depressions have hachure marks on the downhilll side of a contour line.
Rule 8 - Contour lines create V-patterns when they cross a valley (or drainage). The tip of the V
always points uphill.
Rule 9 - Contour lines create V (or U) patterns when they cross a ridge. The tip or blunt end of
the V or U at a ridge always points downhill.
Rule 10 - Contour lines on opposite sides of a valley or ridge occur in pairs.