Physical Geography Lab 1 Quiz

Converting Weight

1 kg = 2.2 lbs 1 g = 0.04 ounces 1 kg = 1,000 grams

Six key features of contour lines

1. Contour lines never cross or touch 2. Depressions are indicated by contour lines with HACHURE MARKS ON THEM 3. Topographic lines that are close together indicate a steep slope; those that are far apart indicate a gentler slope 4. In river valleys contour lines 'V' upstream 5. Water that falls on the ground surface flows perpendicular to contour lines 6. Elevations of bodies of water, such as lakes, are given in blue on USGS maps and are printed on the lakes

The Three Primary Systems for Communicating the location of objects on Earth

1. Latitude and Longitude 2. Public Land Survey System 3. Universal Transverse Mercator System

Example of a Fractional Map as both a Small and Large Scale Map

1:100,000 scale maps are small because if we divided out the fraction, we would generate a small number 1:24,000 scale maps are large scale maps because 1/24,000 is a relatively large number

Converting Distance

2.54cm = 1 inch 1 km = 0.62 miles 1m = 3.28 feet

Converting Temperature

Fahrenheit to Celsius = subtract 32* then multiply by 0.56 Celsius to Fahrenheit = multiply by 1.8 then add 32*

In the PLSS System, the U.S. is divided by...

TOWNSHIPS, using a gridded township and range system -each township is 36 square miles and is divided into individual square miles with each being called a SECTION -within each township, sections are always numbered the same -to describe tracts of land that are smaller than a section, each section can be divided into quarter sections, and can also be subdivided into quarters (quarter quarter section) and so on

Contour Interval

The difference between any two contour lines on a map is called the contour interval

Important lines of Latitude

Tropic of Cancer (23.5* North Latitude) Tropic of Capricorn (23.5* South Latitude)

United States Geological Survey

USGS, maps the US and publishes several different types of maps at different map scales

The Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM)

also useful for describing the location of tracts of land, and most people find it easier to use than the PLSS -divides the world into 60 North-South running metric GRID ZONES that start at UTM Zone 180* Longitude and increase in number traveling east -each UTM grid covers 6* of longitude, and most of Nebraska falls within UTM Grid Zone 14

Fractional Scales

compare map distance with real world distance as a ratio or fraction -ex: 1:24,000 or 1:100,000, or as a fraction unless otherwise stated, these are read 'one unit on the map equals one unit on the ground' -advantage of this map = can use the distance unit you prefer as long as the unit is the same for both sides of the fraction

Public Land Survey System (PLSS)

developed in the U.S. in 1785 and is useful for locating smaller tracts of land, such as farms, parks, or industrial sites -primary method by which tracts of land are described for purchasing and selling in the U.S.

Map Scales

indicate the difference between the size of objects on the Earth's surface and the size of those objects on a map -three types

Large Scale Maps

maps that show relatively small areas

Small Scale Maps

maps that show very large areas

Lines of Longitude

measured either east or west of the prime meridian (0* Longitude), which is found in Greenwich, England -unlike latitude, lines of longitude do not run parallel to one another, and they meet at the North and South Poles

Maps

portray the location of objects on the Earth's surface at a size that is convenient to use

Lines of Latitude

run parallel to one another starting at the equator (0* latitude) -in the northern hemisphere, latitude lines are measured north to the North Pole (90* North Latitude) and in the south they are measured south to the South Pole (90* South Latitude)

Example: To convert inches to centimeters

set the conversion so that inches are in the denominator of the fraction and cancel out in the equation. For instance, convert 10 inches to centimeters: 10inches x 2.54cm --------- = 25.4cm 1 inch

To convert

set up your equation to CANCEL THE UNITS YOU ARE CONVERTING FROM

Verbal Scales

simply state the map distance relative to the real world distance -ex: 1 inch = 10 miles or 5 cm = 1 km

Topographic Maps

specific types of maps that show the three-dimensional surface of the earth on a two-dimensional map -use CONTOUR LINES to show elevations on a map -each individual contour line on a map indicates one elevation, such as 1200 feet

When we use the PLSS system to describe a tract of land...

the location within the section is stated first, followed by the section, then the Township and Range numbers

Google Earth

the primary views of Google Earth were generated by joining satellite imagery for the globe's land masses -the age and quality of the satellite images can vary by region and at different map scales

Spatial Resolution

the size of objects that can be resolved, also varies by region -in most regions, the spatial resolution is 15m, or 49 ft or better

Index Contour Lines

thick brown lines with elevations marked at frequent intervals.

Graphic Scales

use a line or a bar to indicate the difference between real world distance and map distance

Latitude and Longitude

useful for finding relatively large objects like cities on a globe, or discussing climate differences with latitude as one moves away from the equator