Mapwork Flashcards
What is the most important tool in Geography?
A map
What is the definition of a map?
A map represents a portion of the surface of the Earth in a reduced way, making use of symbols. It represents reality and serves as a form of communication.
How are maps reduced to sheets of paper?
They are drawn to scale.
What are co-ordinates?
They are used to find a specific place on the earth’s surface. They are found by latitude and longtitude.
What units of measurement are used for co-ordinates?
Degrees °
Minutes ‘
Seconds’’
How many minutes are in a degree?
60
How many seconds are in a minute?
60
How are maps created?
With satellite images, land surveyors, cartographers and topographers.
How are co-ordinates written?
The degrees, seconds and minutes of latitude come before the degrees, minutes and seconds of longtitude. The measurements are north and south of the equator for latitude, and East and west of the prime meridian for longtitude.
What are the main lines of latitude?
Equator Tropic of Capricorn Tropic of Cancer Arctic Circle Antarctic Circle
What are the co-ordinates for the Equator?
0°
What are the co-ordinates for the Tropic of Cancer?
23.5° North of the Equator
What are the co-ordinates for the Tropic of Capricorn?
23.5° South of the Equator
What are the co-ordinates for the Arctic Circle?
60° North of the Equator
What are the co-ordinates for the Antarctic Circle?
60° South of the Equator
What are the co-ordinates for the main line of longtitude?
0° Greenwich Meridian
What kind of information does a map have?
Direction Bearing Position Distance Details Vegetation Relief Altitude
How is direction shown?
Using compass points.
What are the main compass points called?
The Cardinal points
What are the cardinal points?
North
South
East
West
Which corner of the Earth is South Africa in?
South East
What kinds of scales are there?
Linear
Ratio
Word
What is a linear scale?
This is when a line is drawn on a map. The line has different markings on it, which indicate actual distances on the ground.
What is a ratio scale?
This is when a map scale is indicated by a fraction.
How are maps normally represented?
From a bird’s eye/aerial view.
What is a word scale?
This is when the scale is indicated by means of a written statement.
When using a scale, what measurement is used?
Always begin with centimetres and write your answers in kilometres.
From where do we measure scale on a map?
From the centre of the dot.
What are perennial rivers?
They are rivers that flow all year
What does direction help you to do?
To position or orientate your map in relation to other places.
What is true direction?
It is based on the position of a line of longitude joining the north and south
What are the non-Cardinal directional points on a compass?
North West
North East
South East
South West
What is bearing?
A way of measuring the relation of one thing to another by using degrees.
How is true bearing measured?
It is measured going clockwise from true north.
What instrument is used to measure bearing?
A protractor
What is magnetic bearing?
It is bearing measured from magnetic north going in a clockwise direction.
How do you measure something’s position accurately?
Use the degrees of both longitude and latitude.
What is scale used for?
Scale is used to measure distance on a map.
What does scale do?
Scale relates distance on the map to distance in reality.
How is height shown on maps?
Contour lines
Spot heights
Trigonometrical beacons
What are contour lines?
They are brown lines on a map
What do contour lines do?
They join places with the same height above sea level
What is a contour interval?
It is the difference in height between the contour lines
What are spot heights?
They are points at which the height was measured accurately during the making of the map.
What do spot heights show?
They show the exact height at that point above sea level.
Where can spot heights be found?
On mountaintops, flat lands and valleys
What are trigonometrical beacons?
They are the highest points in an area.
Why are some scales different from others?
They show smaller or larger areas of land.
What size scales are mainly used?
World scale
Local scale
Regional scale
What are world scales used for?
Maps of continents, maps of the world
What are local scales used for?
Maps of provinces, maps of one country
What are regional scales used for?
Parts of a continent
How do you calculate distances using ratio scale?
Identify the two places that you are measuring.
Measure the distance with a ruler. Measure from the centre of the dot
Write down the map distance.
Multiply the distance on the map by the the amount on the ground.
Convert your answer to Kilometres.
What does it mean when the contour lines are close together?
The land is very steep
What is a primary activity?
The main thing that people do in an area. E.g farming
