Geography
Notes Guide
Skills Handbook
Skills Handbook
Introduces you to the basic geographic tools:
o _______________________
o _______________________
o _______________________
Explains how to use them
Latitude, Longitude, Location
Latitude:
o Also called ___________________
o Circle earth parallel to ________________________
o Measure distance ____________ or ____________ of equator
o Go from _____ to _____ degrees North and South
Longitude:
o Also called ___________________
o Circle earth from ____________ to ____________
o Measure distances ____________ or __________ of starting line, which lies
at 0 degrees and is called ________________ ______________________
o Line of longitude that runs through ___________________, England
The Global Grid:
o Every place has a global address, called it’s ________________
_________________________
o Name this by identifying where lines of ___________________ intersect lines
of ___________________________
From Globes to Maps….
Globe:
o _________ model of the _______________
Map:
o Symbolic ____________________ of all or part of the planet on a
___________ piece of ________________
Which is more accurate?
o _______________________________
From 3-D to 2-D:
o What happens when you cut open and orange and try to lay it flat?
o Same principle applies to the earth…
To create uninterrupted maps, mapmakers (or
_____________________________), use math formulas to transfer
info from 3-D to 2-D
Distortions do occur, though
How Map Projections Work
o Project round earth onto flat surface
o Makes a ___________ ___________________________
More than 100 types
Planar Projection
o Shows the earth __________________ in such a way that a straight line
coming from the _________________ to any other point represents the
___________________ distance
o Most accurate at its ____________________
o Mostly used for maps of the _____________________
Cylindrical Projection
o Based on the projection of the globe onto a _______________________
o Most accurate near the ____________________
o Shapes and distances are distorted near the ______________________
Conic Projection
o Comes from placing a ____________ over part of a __________________
o Best suited for showing limited _____________/_____________ areas that
are not too far from the _______________________
o Can indicate distances and directions fairly ________________________
Great Circle Routes
o A ____________________ line is not always the __________________
distance between _________ _______________________
o WHY?
To find shortest distance, stretch a piece of ___________________ around the globe
Traveling along this line is called the _______________ _______________
___________________
o Flat maps don’t show this
Common Map Projections
________________ surface of earth __________________ be shown accurately on a
flat map
___________________________ create map projections
4 main ones….
Robinson Projection
o Has ________________ distortions
o Sizes/shapes near _________ & _________ edges are accurate
o _______________________ ______________ appear as they do on globe
o ______________ areas are somewhat _____________________
Winkel Tripel Projection
o Used by most ___________________ ____________________ ___________
o Adopted by Nat. Geo. Society
o Provides good balance b/t __________ and _________ of land areas as they
are shown on the map
o ___________ areas are not that distorted
Goode’s Interrupted Equal-Area Projection
o Looks something like a ___________ that has been ________ ____________
and ______________ ___________________
o Shows ________ size and shape of ___________________, but
___________________ are distorted
Mercator Projection
o Was ONCE the most commonly used
o _________________________ distorts size and distance as it moves away
from the ____________________
o Accurately show true _____________________ and shapes of landmasses
o Distort _________________________ and________________________
o Useful for __________ __________________
Reading a Map
You need to be able to understand a __________ and it’s ______________
o HOW?
By using the following:
o Key: a list that explains what ______________ ____________ __________
o Compass Rose: indicates ____________________ (cardinal and intermediate)
May only point in one direction – WHY?
o Cities: shown by a __________ (bigger cities can be bigger dots)
o Scale Bar: shows relationship between ___________ ____________________
and ____________ ______________________
o Capitals: __________ within a ______________ (most times)
Using Scale:
o Scale: a ______________________, ____________________ relationship
between the measurement shown on the ___________ and the measurement
of the _________________ ______________________
o Scale Bar: gives relationship between map _____________________ and
____________________ ____________________
o Small and Large Scale Maps
Absolute Location
o ________________ point where one line of _________________
________________ a line of _______________________
Relative Location
o Location of one place in _____________________ to another place
Types of Maps
General Purpose Maps
o Physical:
Shows _____________________ and ____________________
(shape) of earth’s physical features
Show ________________ changes
May show ____________________, ____________________,
__________________
o Political
Shows _________________ between __________________
Show _____________________, _____________________,
___________________, _____________________
o Special Purpose Maps
Maps that emphasize a ____________ _____________ or a
_______________________ kind of _____________________
Many kinds of these
Climate maps
Population density maps
Vegetation maps