Models of the Earth:

Using and Interpreting Maps

Finding Locations on Earth
Mapping the Earth’s Surface
Topographic Maps
 Thought Question
1. What is the purpose of maps?
2. How are positions on planet Earth
represented/located?
3. Explain how you would go about
creating a map by hand. What kinds
of tools would you need? What
variables would you need to
consider?
 Objectives
 Distinguish between latitude and longitude
 Explain how latitude and longitude can be used to
find a location on Earth
 Explain how a magnetic compass can be used
to find directions on Earth
 Describe the characteristics and uses of three
types of map projections
 Define scale and explain how it can be used to
find distance on maps
 Explain how elevation and topography can be
shown on a map
 Interpret a topographic map
 Why Maps?
For thousands of years, people have used maps
to define borders and to find places.
 Cartography is the science of mapmaking.
Cartographers use an imaginary grid of parallel
lines and vertical lines to locate points on Earth.
 The equator circles Earth halfway between
the north and south poles separating Earth
into two equal halves called the northern
hemisphere and the southern hemisphere.
 Latitude
 Parallels- imaginary circles running
east/west on the globe; determine how far
north/south one is; named because they
parallel the equator
 Latitude- the angular distance from north
and south of the Equator; measured in
degrees (90° intervals)
 Latitudinal Great Circle- Equator is the only
latitudinal great circle (any line that
separates the earth into two equal parts)
 Latitude
 Latitude is thus measured from 0° at the
equator to 90° at the poles.
 Locations north of the
equator are referred to
by degrees north
latitude (N).
 Locations south of the
equator are referred to
by degrees south
latitude (S).
 Longitude
 Meridians- lines running north/south on the
globe, pole to pole; determine how far
east/west one is
 Prime Meridian- the point 0° longitude; runs
through Greenwich, England
 Longitude- the angular distance east or west of
the Prime Meridian; all measured from 0°- 180°
east or west of the Prime Meridian
 Longitudinal Great Circles- any two meridians
running directly opposite (180°) from one another;
bisect the globe
Longitude
 Points west of the
prime meridian are
numbered from 0° to
180° west longitude
(W).
 Points east of the
prime meridian are
numbered from 0° to
180° east longitude
(E).
 Locating Places with
Coordinates
– Both latitude and longitude
are needed to precisely
locate positions on Earth.
– For example, the location
of New Orleans is: 29°57
´N, 90°04´W.
– Note that latitude comes
first in reference to the
coordinates of a
particular location.
 Assessment
Match the following terms with their definitions.
D latitude
___ A. the reference point for
B longitude
___ longitude
A prime meridian
___ B. the distance in degrees
east or west of 0°
___
C equator
C. the reference point for latitude
D. the distance in degrees
north or south of 0°
 Assessment
Identify whether the following statements are
true or false.
false
_______ A degree of longitude always represents the

same distance.
true
_______ If you travel west across the International Date
Line, you advance your calendar one day.
false Lines of latitude are not perfectly parallel to
_______
each other.
true
_______ When referencing a specific place on Earth by
its coordinates, latitude always comes first.
 Direction Finding
 Geomagnetic Poles- the point above the earths
poles where all magnetic lines converge;
 The earth behaves as a giant magnet with areas near the
north and south pole acting as the ends of the magnet; this
affects compasses different amounts in different areas
 Magnetic Declination- the angle between the
direction of the earth’s geographic pole and the
direction in which a compass needle points
 True North- direction of the geographic north
pole
 Thought Question
1) Describe one type of map that you have
seen or used. What symbols are used?
How are land forms depicted? Name the
type of map if you know it.
2) What fields of science use maps and what
are the maps used for?
3) Compare and contrast magnetic north and
true north.
 Mapping The Earth’s Surface
 Maps are flat models of a three-
dimensional object, Earth.
All flat maps distort to some degree either the
shapes or the areas of landmasses.
Cartographers use projections to make maps.

 A map projection is made by transferring

points and lines on a globe’s surface onto a
sheet of paper.
Map Projection- any flat map that isa
representation of a three dimensional object;
three types: Mercator, Gnomonic, and Conic
 Mercator Projection
Mercator­ a map projection in which both the 
meridians (evenly spaced) and parallels (unevenly 
spaced) are straight and parallel, forming a grid
 Gnomonic Projection
Gnomonic­ parallels appear unevenly spaced, concentric 
circles; meridians appear as straight lines radiating from a 
central point; all great circles appear as straight lines
Conic Projections
•Conic­ meridians 
converge at the poles; 
the parallels appear as 
equally spaced, 
concentric curves
•Polyconic Projection­ 
several conic 
projections put 
together to form a 
larger map
 Map Reading
 Legend- the portion of a
map that lists all symbols
and their meanings,
distances, and intervals;
aides map reading
 Map Direction- maps are
usually drawn with north at
the top of the page and
south at the bottom
 Scale- the comparison of
the distance on the map to
the actual distance covered
– A graphic scale consists of a line that
represents a certain distance, such
as 5 km or 5 miles.
– A fractional scale expresses distance
as a ratio, such as 1:63 500.
 Topographic Maps
 Topographic Map- scientific maps that show
surface features (such as mountains and
valleys) by using contour intervals; changes 3D
into 2D
 Topographic maps use lines, symbols, and colors
to represent changes in elevation and features on
Earth’s surface.
 Topography- surface features of the earth
 Elevation- the height, in feet or meters, above
or below sea level
 Mean Sea Level- the point located between the
highest and lowest tide levels of the ocean
Topographic Maps
 Making Topo Maps
 Contour Lines-lines on a map that connect points
of the same elevation
 Contour Interval- the difference (in feet or meters)
from one contour line to the next
 Relief- the change in elevation from the lowest to
the highest points of an area; sometimes referred
to as vertical relief
 Index Contours- every fifth contour line on a topo
map; generally bold
3D to 2D
 Depression Contours
– Depression contour lines
are used to represent
features that are lower
than the surrounding
area.
– On a map, depression
contour lines have
hachures, or short lines at
right angles to the contour
line that point toward the
lower elevation, to indicate
depressions.
 Section Assessment
Match the following terms with their
definitions.
___
C projection A. the difference in elevation
between two side-by-side
___
A contour interval contour lines
D map legend
___ B. a diagram that explains
B map scale what the symbols on a
___ map represent
C. a map made by transferring
points and lines on a globe’s
surface onto a sheet of paper
D. the ratio between distances on
a map and actual distances on
the surface of Earth
 Section Assessment
What does it mean if a map says
“Scale 1:100 000”?
This fractional scale means that one unit on the
map represents 100 000 units on Earth’s
surface. For example, one inch on the map
would equal 100 000 inches on Earth’s surface.