Mapping Basics
What is the difference between a map view and a profile view?
Map view shows Earth from above; profile view shows it from the side.
Latitude measures how far north or south you are from what line?
The Equator.
What does a physical map show?
Natural land features like mountains, rivers, and lakes.
What are the three main layers of Earth?
Crust, mantle, and core.
Which Earth system includes all living things?
The biosphere.
What is a map legend, and why is it important?
It’s a key that explains the symbols on a map, helping you understand what each one means.
Longitude measures how far east or west you are from what line?
The Prime Meridian.
What kind of map shows boundaries between countries or states?
A political map.
Which layer is the thickest part of Earth?
The mantle.
Which system includes Earth’s solid rock and land?
The geosphere.
What does the map scale tell you?
The relationship between distance on the map and the actual distance on the ground.
How many time zones does Earth have, and how many degrees of longitude wide is each?
24 time zones; each covers 15° of longitude.
What are contour lines, and what do they connect?
Lines on a map that connect points of equal elevation.
What is the lithosphere made of?
The crust and the uppermost mantle.
What protects Earth from harmful charged particles from the Sun?
The magnetosphere (part of Earth’s magnetic field).
What two lines divide Earth into hemispheres?
The Equator divides north/south, and the Prime Meridian divides east/west.
What happens when you cross the International Date Line?
The calendar day changes — you either move forward or backward one day.
If contour lines are very close together, what does that tell you about the slope?
It’s a steep slope.
What is the difference between the outer core and inner core?
The outer core is liquid metal; the inner core is solid metal.
What’s the main difference between a plain, a plateau, and a mountain?
Plain = low elevation/relief; Plateau = high elevation/low relief; Mountain = high elevation/high relief.
Why are degrees, minutes, and seconds used in map coordinates?
They allow locations to be measured more precisely since Earth is a sphere.
Why don’t time zone boundaries always follow exact meridians?
They are adjusted for political borders and convenience.
What kind of map shows rock types, ages, and faults?
A geologic map.
What property caused Earth’s layers to form as they did?
Density—denser materials sank to the center, lighter ones rose to the surface.
How did the Colorado Plateau form?
Forces inside Earth lifted rock layers upward, and the Colorado River eroded canyons through it.