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Earth Science Chapter 3

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Earth Science Chapter 3 Chapter Models of the 3 Earth Chapter Outlinene 1 ● Finding Locations on Earth Latitude Longitude Great Circles Finding Direction 2 ● Mapping Earth’s Surface How Scientists Make Maps Map Projections Reading a Map 3 ● Types of Maps Topographic Maps Geologic Maps Soil Maps Other Types of Maps Why It Matters UsingU i pastt andd presentt ttechnologies,h l scientists can create extremely accurate models of Earth’s surface. These models, commonly called maps, help people navigate and find locations. Scientists use maps to study changes in Earth’s four “spheres.” 54 Chapter 3 hq10sena_modcho.indd 54 PDF 8/1/08 10:11:40 AM Inquiry Lab 30 min Using a Compass Compa Working as a team, choose an object in your classroom. Use a directional compass to determine and record directions that another team could follow to arrive at the object you chose. Use cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west) and ordinal directions (northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest). For example, you could write directions like these: “Stand with your back to the classroom door. Turn east, and walk five steps. Then walk three steps northeast.” Trade directions with other teams. Questions to Get You Started 1. In what direction does a compass needle always point? 2. How do you use the letters and numbers on a compass housing to adjust the compass? 55 hq10sena_modcho.indd 55 PDF 8/1/08 10:11:55 AM These reading tools will help you learn the material in this chapter. Science Terms Frequency Everyday Words Used in Science All Always, Sometimes, or Never? Many the key terms in this textbook are words statements include a word that tells you that scientists use. Many words that are how often they are true. Examples include used in science are also used in everyday words such as always, often, sometimes, and speech. You should pay attention to the never. Words such as all, some, many, and definitions of these words so that you can most tell you about frequency in number. use them correctly in scientific contexts. Your Turn As you read this chapter, make Your Turn As you read Chapter 3, make a a list of statements that contain frequency table like the one below for the terms relief words. For each statement in your list, and projection (from the key term map underline the word or phrase that tells how projection). Add other everyday words that frequently the statement is true. Here is an are used by scientists as you find them in example: Air and sea routes often travel the chapter. along great circles. Term Scientific context Everyday meaning relief the difference a lessening or easing between the of a burden or highest and lowest anxiety, pain, or elevations in a stress given area FoldNotes Layered Book FoldNotes are a fun way to help you learn and remember ideas that you encounter as you read. You can use the four flaps of the layered book to divide the ideas into four categories. Your Turn As you read Section 1, make a Latitude layered book, as described in Appendix A. Longitude Label the tabs of the layered book with Great Circles “Latitude,” “Longitude,” “Great Circles,” Finding Direction and “Finding Direction.” Write notes on the appropriate layer as you read the section. For more information on how to use these and other tools, see Appendix A. 56 Chapter 3 Models of the Earth hq10sena_modtoolx.indd 56 PDF 8/1/08 10:11:04 AM SECTION 1 Finding Locations on Earth Keyey Ideasdeas Keyey Termses Whyy Itt Matters atte s ❯ Distinguish between latitude and longitude. parallel Latitude and longitude ❯ Explain how latitude and longitude can be used latitude form a frame of reference that is based on Earth’s to locate places on Earth’s surface. meridian ❯ axis of rotation, making it Explain how a magnetic compass can be used to longitude possible to identify and find directions on Earth’s surface. locate any point on Earth. The points at which Earth’s axis of rotation intersects Earth’s sur- face are used as reference points for defining direction. These refer- ence points are the geographic North and South Poles. Halfway between the poles, a circle called the equator divides Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. A reference grid of addi- tional circles is used to locate places on Earth’s surface. Latitude One set of circles describes positions north and south of the equator. These circles are called parallels because they run east and west around the world, parallel to the equator. The angular distance north or south of the equator is called latitude. parallel any circle that runs east and west around Earth and that is parallel to the equator; a Degrees of Latitude line of latitude Latitude is measured in degrees, and the equator is designated as latitude the angular distance 0 ° latitude. Because the distance from the equator to either of the north or south from the poles is one-fourth of a circle, and a circle has 360 °, the equator; expressed in degrees latitude of both the North Pole and the South Pole is North Pole one-quarter of 360 °, or 90 °, as shown in Figure 1. In 90°N 60°N actual distance, 1 ° of latitude equals 1/360 of Earth’s 45°N circumference, or about 111 km. Parallels north of the 30°N equator are labeled N; those south of the equator are 15°N labeled S. Equator 0° Minutes and Seconds 15°S Each degree of latitude consists of 60 equal parts, 30°S called minutes. One minute (symbol: ') of latitude 45°S Equator equals 1.85 km. In turn, each minute is divided into 60 60°S 90°S equal parts, called seconds (symbol: "). So, the latitude South Pole of the center of Washington, D.C., could be expressed • as 38°53'23"N. North Pole Figure 1 Parallels are circles that describe positions north and south of the equator. Each parallel forms a complete circle around the globe. Section 1 Finding Locations on Earth 57 hq10sena_modsec1.indd 57 2/23/09 8:42:14 AM Longitude The latitude of a particular place indicates only its position north or south of the equator. To determine the specific location of a place, you also need to know how far east or west that place is E E E E E W W W W W ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° 0 15 30 45 60 90 90 60 45 30 15 along its circle of latitude. East-west locations are established by using meridians. As Figure 2 shows, a meridian is a semicircle (half of a circle) that runs from pole to pole. By international agreement, one meridian was selected to be 0 °. This meridian, called the prime meridian, passes through Greenwich, Figure 2 Meridians are England. Longitude is the angular distance, measured in degrees, semicircles reaching around east or west of the prime meridian. Earth from pole to pole. Degrees of Longitude Because a circle is 360 °, the meridian opposite the prime merid- ian, halfway around the world, is labeled 180 °. All locations east of the prime meridian have longitudes between 0 ° and 180 °E. All locations west of the prime meridian have longitudes between 0 ° and 180 °W. Washington, D.C., which lies west of the prime merid- meridian any semicircle that runs north and south around ian, has a longitude of 77 °W. Like latitude, longitude can be Earth from the geographic expressed in degrees, minutes, and seconds. So, a more precise North Pole to the geographic location for Washington, D.C., is 38 °53'23"N, 77 °00'33"W. South Pole; a line of longitude longitude the angular distance Distance Between Meridians east or west from the prime meridian; expressed in degrees The distance covered by a degree of longitude depends on where the degree is measured. At the equator, or 0 ° latitude, a degree of longitude equals approximately 111 km. However, all Academic Vocabulary meridians meet at the poles. Because meridians meet, the distance location (loh KAY shuhn) place or position measured by a degree of longitude decreases as you move from the equator toward the poles. At a latitude of 60 °N, for example, 1 ° of longitude equals about 55 km. At 80 °N, 1 ° of longitude equals only about 20 km. Figure 3 A great-circle route from Chicago to Rome is much shorter than a route following a Great Circles parallel is. A great circle is often used in navigation, especially by long- Meridian Parallel distance aircraft. A great circle is any circle that divides the globe into halves, or marks the circumference of the globe. Any circle formed by two meridians of longitude that are directly across the globe from each other is a great circle. The equator is the only line of latitude that is a great circle. Great circles can run in any direction around the globe. Just as a straight line is the short- est distance between two points on a flat surface or plane, the Great Parallel route along a great circle is the shortest distance between two circle route route points on a sphere, as shown in Figure 3. As a result, air and sea routes often travel along great circles. Why is the equator the only parallel that is a great circle? (See Appendix G for answers to Reading Checks.) 58 Chapter 3 Models of the Earth hq10sena_modsec1.indd 58 PDF 8/1/08 10:08:45 AM Axis of rotation Geographic North Pole Geomagnetic north pole Equator Finding Direction Geomagnetic Geographic One way to find direction on Earth is to use a south pole South Pole magnetic compass.
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