Topographic Maps

1. Topographic Maps Mapping, Topography, and Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

2. Activity • Map the classroom. • Include or Omit anything you find necessary • It’s up to you how to do it

3. Discussion • What elements did you include? • What makes a good map? • Why do we need maps

4. Elements found on ALL Maps • Distance or Scale • Direction • Legend • Sources

5. Distance or Scale

6. Direction

7. Legend

8. Sources • Sources will provide information regarding Age, Accuracy, and Reliability of Map? • The source for our “Classroom Map” is obviously yourself but for a contour map of the area a more reliable source like the USGS would be important

9. LOCATION OF MAP • The location of a map is the most important thing • The reason we look at maps is to derive location and to help us navigate. • Latitude and Longitude is used to determine location

10. Latitude and Longitude • Imaginary lines used to determine location universally around the world • Coordinate System: • (Latitude N or S, Longitude E or W) • Every location on Earth has a unique set of coordinates. • Where I am standing has different set of coordinates from where each of you is sitting

11. Lines of Latitude • Lines of Latitude: • Parallels. Run from Equator to North/South Poles • Equator = 0 degrees • North/South Pole = 90 degrees • “Ladder-tude” • 1 degree = 69 miles

12. Lines of Latitude (“LADDER-TUDE”)

13. Lines of Longitude • Vertical Lines known as Meridians • Run through poles • Spaced apart at equator, very close at poles • Prime Meridian = 0 degrees (Greenwich, England) • Up to 180 degrees west or east • 180+ 180 = 360 = Degrees in a circle • 0 - 180 degrees west = Western Hemisphere • 0- 180 degrees east = Eastern Hemispeher

14. Lines of Longitude

15. Lat/Long working together • LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION • Coordinate system with two variables • EXACT LOCATION! • Degrees, Minutes, Seconds • Minutes are 1/60 of a degree • Seconds are 1/60 of a minute • 60 seconds make up one minute. 60 minutes make up one degree. • One degree is made of 60 minutes. In each minute there is 60 seconds

16. Burlington, WI • 42 º40’ 40” N, 88 º16’ 41” W • Read: “42 degrees, 40 minutes, 40 seconds North… 88 degrees, 16 minutes, 41 seconds W • What does it mean: Burlington is about 42.5 degrees north of Eqautor and about 90 degrees W of prime meridian (0 º)

17. 42 º40’ 40” N, 88 º16’ 41” W • Notice: • 1st number= Latitude 42 degrees + some • 2nd number = Longitude 88 degrees + some • Both are labeled with directions • Coordinates: (Latitude N or S, Longitude E or W)

18. Help me find: 35N , 120W

19. Activity • Use world maps to determine coordinates of locations on your note sheet with partner. • After completion, write 3 sets of coordinates on separate sheet of paper to hand to another group • You will receive a set from someone else and will need to determine those as well.

20. Topographic Maps • What are they? • Why do Earth Scientists use them? • What can you find out from them?

21. Qualities of Topo Maps • Show natural and human made features • Use contour lines to show slope and elevation • Create a visual representation of a 3D landform

22. Contour Lines • All contour maps have contour lines • Contour Line: Lines on a map representing equal elevation • Show elevation usually measured in feet above sea level • Usually they will create circles • Can be extremely confusing if you don’t understand the fundamental concept that: CONTOUR LINES REPRESENT ELEVATION

23. Examples of Topo Maps and Contours:

24. Contour Lines and Index Contours • What is this map representing?

25. Topo Map (Island) and Rule of V’s

26. Topographic Map Vocab: • Contour Lines- Lines depicting elevation, change in elevation, and TOPOGRAPHY (Land forms) • Contour Interval- the designated elevation difference between two Contour Lines • Index Contour- The thicker, darker lines on a contour map denoting important elevations (100 ft, 5000M etc)

27. Vocab Continued: • Scale- relationship between distance on a map and distance it represents on earth • Quadrangles- Term for a topographic map with four equal sides. • Rule of the V’s- when a stream passes over contour lines it creates characteristic “V’s” in the contour pattern. The “V’s” indicate a stream and will point UPSTREAM

28. Uses of Topographic Maps • We have learned that Topographic maps take a 3D object and turn it into a 2D picture • It is time for us to learn what we can do with them

29. Slope,Relief, Gradient • Slope- how steep or flat something is. • Relief- change in elevation over a given distance • High Relief: high amount of change • Low Relief: low change

30. Relief • What is an area of high relief? • What is an area of low relief? • Why would it be useful to know the slope and relief of an area?

31. High Relief/ Low Relief

32. Relief

33. Gradient • Gradient- The amount of change over a given distance • Slope, Relief, and Gradient are all related • Rise/ Run • Change in Elevation / Distance

34. Topographic Profile

35. Topographic Profile • Creating a cross section of our map • High Level Thinking! • Taking a 2D object and making a 3D image in your head. Then taking that 3D image and cutting it in half • What does it show us? • The elevation changes, gradient, slope, relief

36. Depression Contours • Sometimes an area being mapped will have depressions. • To help them stand out maps makers use a new types of contour line indicating a decrease in elevation

37. Depression Contours • Depression Contour- Contour line with hash marks points to center of depression