CHAPTER 1 The Tools of Geography

Essential Question: How do geographers show information on maps?

Geoterms Absolute Location: the precise point where a place is located on Earth Distortion: a change in the shape, size, or position of a place when it is shown on a map Map Projection: a way of representing the spherical Earth on a flat surface Relative Location: where a place is located in relation to another place

The Geographic Setting Locating Things on Earth  The Main Purpose of Maps Absolute location Relative location Distortion  The Big Problem with Maps Two-dimensional – length & width Map projections – possible solution

Maps, Titles, and Symbols The Title Tells What a Map Shows A Compass Rose Shows Direction on a Map A Legend Identifies Symbols on a Map A Grid Organizes Space on a Map

The Global Grid Longitude and Latitude  Lines of Latitude Parallel the Equator  Parallels of Latitude They run east and west Equator – most important  Lines of Latitude Parallel the Equator  Meridians of Longitude They run from Pole to Pole Prime Meridian – most important International Date Line – next most important  Latitude and Longitude Mark Absolute Location  Coordinates Identify exact location

Dealing with Distances Map Scales  Scale Effects Details Large Scale map – close-up view of a small area with a lot of detail Small Scale map – shows a large area but with few details  Estimating Distance with a Map Scale Map Scale – tells you how to read distance on the map

Hemispheres, Continents, and Oceans A Hemisphere is Half a World  Hemispheres – Earth is divided into halves Continents and Oceans  Continents  Landmass

Earth and the Sun Earth’s Movement  Revolution – one trip around the sun (365¼ days)  Axis – imaginary line that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole  Rotation – Spinning motion of the Earth (24 hours) Earth’s Tilt Creates the Seasons  The tilt of Earth’s axis relative to the sun Tropics, Circles, and Zones  Tropic of Cancer – northern line latitude where the sun’s rays beat straight down  Tropic of Capricorn – southern line latitude where the sun’s rays beat straight down  Tropical Zones – Area between the two lines  Arctic Circle –northernmost line of latitude  Antarctic Circle – southernmost line of latitude  Polar Zones – area between the Arctic and Antarctic Circles  Temperate Zones – area between the tropical and polar zones Summers are warm and winters are cool

Showing a Round World on a Flat Map All Flat Maps Have Distortion  Lambert Projections Shows polar Areas that Other Maps Distort  Mercator Projections Shows Direction but Distorts Size  Eckert IV Projections Shows Size but Distorts Shape  Goode’s Homolosine Projections Shows Continents but Distorts the Oceans

Essential Question: How do geographers show information on maps?