DBQ #1 - Earth's Grid System Read the Following Passage and Answer the Questions That Follow

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

DBQ #1 - Earth's Grid System Read the Following Passage and Answer the Questions That Follow Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: _______________ Block: _____ DBQ #1 - Earth's Grid System Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. Long before astronauts traveled into space, people had to guess about Earth's shape. Some thought it was flat. Others thought it was a disc. However, no one had real proof about its shape. That is until ancient Greek geographers came along. They were some of the first scientists to figure out the shape of our planet. These geographers used mathematics and their observations to design the first globes. These globes were our first models of Earth. Earth has a geographical grid. It is important to learn about this grid so that you can understand globes. This grid is found on flat maps and on globes. It is a pattern of horizontal and vertical lines. These lines intersect at coordinates. Geographers use these coordinates to locate places on Earth, on maps, and on globes. The vertical lines are called lines of longitude or meridians. Lines of latitude or parallels are the horizontal lines. Hipparchus was a Greek geographer. He was born in 150 B.C. Hipparchus divided Earth into 360 sections. These sections are called degrees. These sections were drawn on the globe to show lines of longitude. Meridians run from pole to pole and divide the Earth vertically. In 1884, scientists created our prime meridian. It measures 0 degrees (0º) longitude and runs through Greenwich, England. If you sail up the Thames River to Greenwich, you will find the Royal Naval Observatory. This is where you will see a marker for the prime meridian. Distance is measured east or west of the prime meridian. As you travel east, the meridians measure 1º to 179º. This is also the eastern hemisphere. Travel west from the prime meridian and you will enter the western hemisphere. The meridians in this hemisphere measure from 1º to 179º. You are probably wondering about the 180th degree. Well, it's there! You can reach it by traveling from the prime meridian either east or west. This meridian is halfway around our planet from the prime meridian. The 180º meridian is also called the International Date Line. Parallels separate Earth into horizontal hemisphere. The equator is the starting line for latitude. Like the prime meridian it measures 0º. In Africa and South America you will find markers to show where the equator is located. As you move north from the equator, you enter the northern hemisphere. Parallels are numbered from 1º to 90º as you move north or south of the equator. The southern hemisphere is the area from the equator to the South Pole. Knowing about latitude and longitude is the easy part. Now we need to talk about their measurements. Degrees are used when measuring parallels and meridians. There are 360º in a circle. That is why the Earth and globes are separated into 360 one degree sections. Earth is a three-dimensional circle or sphere. Minutes are smaller units within degrees. You have learned there are sixty minutes (60') in an hour. In latitude or longitude there are also 60 minutes between each degree. Geographers also divided the minutes into seconds. Remember our clock? Well, there are 60 seconds in each minute. This is also true for each minute of latitude and longitude. If you were to look at a globe, you would only see the degrees for the meridians and parallels. What about the lines in-between? You would have to imagine these lines. There are nine one-degree marks between each parallel and meridian. Latitude lines are used to separate climate zones. If you were to study a world map or globe, you would see these climate zones. They are the temperate and tropic zones. In the northern hemisphere the temperate zone runs from the Arctic Circle to 23º 30' north latitude. The Arctic Circle is 66º 30' north latitude. The area from 23º 30' north latitude to the equator is the Tropic of Cancer. The Tropic of Capricorn is found in the southern hemisphere. It runs from the equator to 23º 30' south latitude. The southern temperate zone runs from 23º 30' south latitude to the Antarctic Circle. Speaking of the ends of the Earth, let's talk about our poles. When you imagine the North and South Poles, you think of very cold places. In addition to their ice, there is a more important reason to know about these poles -- magnetism. All lines of longitude meet at the northern and southern-most points. These are our poles. However, there are two types of north poles. They are the geographic north pole and the magnetic north pole. Geographic North Pole is where the Earth's longitude lines meet. It is exactly 90º north of the equator. Another name for this region is true north. The magnetic north pole is close to true north. Remember your globe? Well, true north is the pole that runs through the globe. Magnetic north is based on the Earth's magnetic attraction. The Earth is really a huge magnet. This magnetism comes from its center. To find magnetic north on Earth, you need a compass. Compass needles on Earth always point to magnetic north. Why? The needle on a compass is magnetized. This means that it was rubbed with a magnet. Since it is made of metal, it becomes attracted to the Earth's magnetic field. No matter what direction you are facing, a compass needle always points to magnetic north. The Earth's geographic grid is a valuable measurement tool. It helps geographers and other people to locate places on Earth. Following these lines you will learn more about locations on our planet. Answer the following questions based on the reading passage above. 1. How is the magnetic North Pole different from the geographic North Pole? 2. What is the area called from the equator to the North Pole? 3. Each degree of latitude or longitude is divided into ______. a. 60 minutes c. 66 minutes b. 60 seconds d. 66 seconds 4. Climate zones are separated by ______. a. The South Pole c. Latitude lines b. Longitude lines d. The North Pole 5. Why do you think scientists developed the prime meridian in 1884? 6. If the Arctic Circle measures at 66º 30' north latitude, what is the measurement for the Antarctic Circle? 7. Meridians measure from ________ east or west from the prime meridian. a. 1º to 169º c. 1º to 180º b. 1º to 179º d. 1º to 170º 8. Parallels are numbered from 1º to 89º north or south of the equator. a. True b. False .
Recommended publications
  • Why Do We Use Latitude and Longitude? What Is the Equator?
    Where in the World? This lesson teaches the concepts of latitude and longitude with relation to the globe. Grades: 4, 5, 6 Disciplines: Geography, Math Before starting the activity, make sure each student has access to a globe or a world map that contains latitude and longitude lines. Why Do We Use Latitude and Longitude? The Earth is divided into degrees of longitude and latitude which helps us measure location and time using a single standard. When used together, longitude and latitude define a specific location through geographical coordinates. These coordinates are what the Global Position System or GPS uses to provide an accurate locational relay. Longitude and latitude lines measure the distance from the Earth's Equator or central axis - running east to west - and the Prime Meridian in Greenwich, England - running north to south. What Is the Equator? The Equator is an imaginary line that runs around the center of the Earth from east to west. It is perpindicular to the Prime Meridan, the 0 degree line running from north to south that passes through Greenwich, England. There are equal distances from the Equator to the north pole, and also from the Equator to the south pole. The line uniformly divides the northern and southern hemispheres of the planet. Because of how the sun is situated above the Equator - it is primarily overhead - locations close to the Equator generally have high temperatures year round. In addition, they experience close to 12 hours of sunlight a day. Then, during the Autumn and Spring Equinoxes the sun is exactly overhead which results in 12-hour days and 12-hour nights.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mesa Site: Paleoindians Above the Arctic Circle
    U. S. Department of the Interior BLM-Alaska Open File Report 86 Bureau of Land Management BLM/AK/ST-03/001+8100+020 April 2003 Alaska State Office 222 West 7th Avenue Anchorage Alaska 99513 The Mesa Site: Paleoindians above the Arctic Circle Michael Kunz, Michael Bever, Constance Adkins Cover Photo View of Mesa from west with Iteriak Creek in foreground. Photo: Dan Gullickson Disclaimer The mention of trade names or commercial products in this report does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the federal government. Authors Michael Kunz is an Archaeologist, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Northern Field Office, 1150 University Avenue, Fairbanks, Alaska 99709. Michael Bever is a project supervisor for Pacific Legacy Inc., 3081 Alhambra Drive, Suite 208, Cameron Park, CA 95682. Constance Adkins is an Archaeologist, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Northern Field Office, 1150 University Avenue, Fairbanks, Alaska 99709. Open File Reports Open File Reports issued by the Bureau of Land Management-Alaska present the results of invento- ries or other investigations on a variety of scientific and technical subjects that are made available to the public outside the formal BLM-Alaska technical publication series. These reports can include preliminary or incomplete data and are not published and distributed in quantity. The reports are available while supplies last from BLM External Affairs, 222 West 7th Avenue #13, Anchorage, Alaska 99513 and from the Juneau Minerals Information Center, 100 Savikko Road, Mayflower Island, Douglas, AK 99824, (907) 364-1553. Copies are also available for inspection at the Alaska Resource Library and Information Service (Anchorage), the USDI Resources Library in Washington, D.
    [Show full text]
  • Educator Guide
    E DUCATOR GUIDE This guide, and its contents, are Copyrighted and are the sole Intellectual Property of Science North. E DUCATOR GUIDE The Arctic has always been a place of mystery, myth and fascination. The Inuit and their predecessors adapted and thrived for thousands of years in what is arguably the harshest environment on earth. Today, the Arctic is the focus of intense research. Instead of seeking to conquer the north, scientist pioneers are searching for answers to some troubling questions about the impacts of human activities around the world on this fragile and largely uninhabited frontier. The giant screen film, Wonders of the Arctic, centers on our ongoing mission to explore and come to terms with the Arctic, and the compelling stories of our many forays into this captivating place will be interwoven to create a unifying message about the state of the Arctic today. Underlying all these tales is the crucial role that ice plays in the northern environment and the changes that are quickly overtaking the people and animals who have adapted to this land of ice and snow. This Education Guide to the Wonders of the Arctic film is a tool for educators to explore the many fascinating aspects of the Arctic. This guide provides background information on Arctic geography, wildlife and the ice, descriptions of participatory activities, as well as references and other resources. The guide may be used to prepare the students for the film, as a follow up to the viewing, or to simply stimulate exploration of themes not covered within the film.
    [Show full text]
  • Equator Tropic of Cancer Tropic of Capricorn Arctic Circle An
    Please learn where these ‘imaginary’ lines are on a world map: Equator These are all lines of latitude. Tropic of Cancer Tropic of Capricorn Arctic Circle Antarctic Circle Prime Meridian This is a line of longitude. (Sometimes known as the Greenwich Meridian) The Equator is an imaginary line around the centre of the Earth, dividing it into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. It is a special line of latitude, located halfway between the North and South Poles. The Prime Meridian is the imaginary line that divides Earth into two equal parts: the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. It is a line of longitude and the starting point for the measuring system called longitude. Hemisphere = half of the Earth Please learn the location of these hemispheres Northern hemisphere and Southern hemisphere which are separated by the Equator Eastern hemisphere and Western hemisphere which are separated by the Prime Meridian The British Isles are positioned within 3 hemispheres: Northern, eastern and western. Denmark, Sweden and Norway are all found in 2 hemispheres: Northern and eastern. LINES OF LATITUDE To find out how far north or south a place is from the horizontal line called the equator, lines of latitude are used. These lines run parallel to the Equator. LINES OF LONGITUDE To find out how far east or west a place is from the vertical line called the Prime Meridian, lines of longitude are used. These lines run vertically from the North Pole to the South Pole. VIKING LINK: Scandinavia includes the countries of Norway, Sweden and Denmark. It is located in Northern Europe.
    [Show full text]
  • Arctic Circle Antarctic Circle Tropic of Cancer Tropic of Capricorn
    ARCTIC OCEAN ARCTIC OCEAN Greenland (Denmark) Arctic Circle Alaska Norway (USA) Iceland Finland Sweden Russia 60° N NORTH Canada ATLANTIC See Europe OCEAN Kazakhstan enlargement Mongolia NORTH Azores 27 PACIFIC United States (Portugal) 40 of America Greece 53 OCEAN China 48 Japan See Middle East 1 Tibet enlargement (China) 30° N Morocco 41 4 Canary Islands 38 5 Tropic of Cancer (Spain) Libya NORTH Mexico Algeria 2 Taiwan Northern Oman India 36 28 Mariana PACIFIC Hawaii Mauritania Hong Kong Islands (USA) See Central America Mali Niger Sudan 54 31 OCEAN (USA) Cabo 45 Chad 19 Yemen Guam & the Caribbean Verde 22 8 10 60 Philippines enlargement 25 24 3 39 17 48 (USA) Ethiopia Sri Micronesia 46 15 12 50 Palau Colombia 26 20 30 11 48 Lanka Malaysia 7 EQUATOR 51 23 56 18 59 47 0° Ecuador 21 14 Kenya Maldives 44 42 Indonesia Papua Kiribati 16 9 Seychelles Tanzania New Solomon 33 Peru 55 Guinea Brazil Saint 13 Islands 37 43 French Helena Angola 32 58 Cook Polynesia (UK) 61 INDIAN Vanuatu (Fr.) 57 Islands Bolivia 62 35 OCEAN New Tropic of Capricorn 34 Caledonia Fiji Easter Island Paraguay SOUTH Namibia 6 Madagascar (Fr.) Pitcairn (Chile) Australia Island (UK) ATLANTIC 52 30°S OCEAN South 29 Uruguay Africa SOUTH Argentina PACIFIC Chile New OCEAN Zealand Falkland 150° W W 120° 90° W 0° E 120° 150° E Islands 30° E 60° E 90° E (UK) 1 Afghanistan 8 Burkina Faso 13 Comoros & 18 Equatorial Guinea 25 Guinea–Bissau 32 Malawi 39 Nigeria 45 Senegal 51 Suriname 58 Tuvalu 2 Bangladesh 9 Burundi NorwayMayotte 19 Eritrea 26 Guyana 33 Marshall Islands 40 North Korea 46 Sierra Leone 52 Swaziland 59 Uganda 3 Benin 10 Cambodia 14 Congo, Rep.
    [Show full text]
  • Name Date Activity Page 1.2 Use with Chapter 1 Imaginary Lines
    Name Date Activity Page 1.2 Use with Chapter 1 Imaginary Lines Study the map. Then complete the items below. 80°N ARCTIC OCEAN 70°N 60°N 50°N EUROPE NORTH ASIA 40°N AMERICA ATLANTIC 30°N OCEAN PACIFIC 20°N OCEAN 10°N AFRICA 0° 10°S 180° 140°W 100°W SOUTH 20°W 0° 20°E 60°E 100°E 140°E 180° AMERICA INDIAN 20°S OCEAN AUSTRALIA 30°S PACIFIC 40°S OCEAN 50°S 60°S 70°S 80°S ANTARCTICA 1. The numbers that go across the center of the map from left to right indicate lines of . 2. The numbers on the side of the map indicate lines of . 3. On the map, label the following: equator Arctic Circle Tropic of Capricorn North Pole Antarctic Circle prime meridian South Pole Tropic of Cancer international date line TEACHER RESOURCES 61 Name Date Activity Page 1.3 Use with Chapter 1 Latitude as Climate Indicator North Pole ARCTIC OCEAN Polar Arctic Circle 60°N Temperate EUROPE NORTH ASIA Zone AMERICA ATLANTIC 30°N Tropic of Cancer OCEAN PACIFIC OCEAN AFRICA Tropical Zone 0° Equator 180° 150°W 120°W 90°W 60°W 30°W 0° 30°E 60°E 90°E 120°E 150°E 180° SOUTH INDIAN AMERICA OCEAN Tropic of Capricorn AUSTRALIA 30°S Temperate PACIFIC Zone OCEAN Prime Meridian 60°S Antarctic Circle Polar ANTARCTICA South Pole 1. Color the area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn red. This area is known as the zone.
    [Show full text]
  • Arctic Search and Rescue
    Arctic Search and Rescue March 13, 2018 Fiscal Year 2017 Report to Congress Office of the Chief Financial Officer Foreword March 13, 2018 I am pleased to present the following report, "Arctic Search and Rescue," as prepared by the U.S. Coast Guard. The Joint Explanatory Statementand Senate Report 114-264 accompanyingthe Fiscal Year 2017 Departmentof Homeland Security Appropriations Act (P.L. 115-31) require the submission of the Coast Guard's plans to ensure long-term search and rescue coverage for the Arctic. Pursuant to congressional requirements, this reportis being provided to the followingMembers of Congress: The Honorable John R. Carter Chairman, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security The Honorable Lucille Roybal-Allard RankingMember, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security The Honorable John Boozman Chairman, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security The Honorable Jon Tester Ranking Member, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security Please direct inquiries related to this report to me at (202) 447-5751. Sincerely, Stacy Marcott Acting Chief Financial Officer Arctic Search and Rescue Table of Contents I. Legislative Language .......................................................................................................... 1 II. Background ......................................................................................................................... 2 Remote Area of Arctic Operations ....................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Where in the World Is the Arctic?
    ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION Where in the World is the arctic? Summary: Background Because the arctic is geographically Students map the arctic in far away from most of North relation to their home in order Latitude lines are imaginary lines America’s population, it is a loca- to learn the location and that run east/west on the globe in tion that may be difficult for countries of the arctic. concentric circles. They are useful students to understand. This in determining the distance a activity, and those that follow, will Grade Level: given point is north or south of help students to identify the loca- 3-4; 5-8; K-2 the equator. The arctic tundra is tion of the arctic circle and its rela- circumpolar, meaning it is an Time tionship to their own community. ecosystem that spans the globe one class period. around the pole. It is found in Subjects: Asia, North America, and eight geography, language arts, math, northern countries within Europe, Procedure science generally above 60 degrees north Skills 1. Hand out the world maps application, comparison, provided and have students analysis look them over. Ask the class, Have you ever thought about Learning Objectives The arctic tundra which way is “up” on the earth? Students will be able to: is a nearly treeless Does it feel like you are at the ✔ Identify the arctic region on a zone of land found “top?“ Are you at the top? How world map. do you think people in Australia ✔ between the northern Calculate the distance might feel about their location between where they live and ice cap and the taiga, on North American world the arctic region.
    [Show full text]
  • Working with Maps, Globes, and Other
    CK_4_TH_HG_P087_242.QXD 10/6/05 9:01 AM Page 93 At a Glance The most important ideas for you are: ◗ Students can use scales on maps and globes to measure distance. ◗ Students can use longitude and latitude coordinates to locate places on maps and globes. ◗ The Prime Meridian is located at 0º longitude, and the International Date Line, which generally corresponds to 180º longitude, marks the change in days from east to west. ◗ Relief maps are special-purpose maps that indicate elevations and depressions in land height. ◗ Major mountain ranges by continent include the Andes (South America), Rockies and Appalachians (North America), Himalayas and Urals (Asia), Atlas (Africa), and Alps (Europe). ◗ High mountains of the world by continent are Everest (Asia), McKinley (North America), Aconcagua (South America), Mont Blanc (Europe), and Kilimanjaro (Africa). What Teachers Need to Know Teaching Idea Background Review map-reading skills and The study of geography embraces many topics throughout the Core concepts from previous grades Knowledge Sequence, including topics in history and science. Geographic as needed. knowledge includes a spatial sense of the world, an awareness of the physical processes to which people culturally adapt, a sense of the interactions between humans and their environment, an understanding of the relations between place and culture, and an awareness of the characteristics of specific regions and cultures. Many geographic topics are listed throughout the World History Cross-curricular and Geography Sequence in connection with historical topics. Teaching Idea Throughout this section, students should connect the “abstract” concepts Compare the distance using map to something more concrete, such as a country of interest or a topic of histor- scale (usually measured in a straight ical study in this grade.
    [Show full text]
  • The Dalton Highway
    Te DaDallHtt ooi g nnh w a y Visitor Guide Road Conditions . pages 6-7 Points of Interest . .page 8 Bear Safety . .page 16 Contents Ultimate Road Adventure Trip Planning The Dalton Highway is a rough, industrial road that begins 84 miles/134 km north of Fairbanks and ends 414 miles/662 km later in 4 Preparing and Safety Deadhorse, the industrial camp at Prudhoe Bay. It provides a rare 6 Mileage Chart opportunity to traverse a remote, unpopulated part of Alaska to the 11-14 Maps very top of the continent. Traveling this farthest-north road involves real risks and challenges. This publication will help you decide 23 Planning Your Trip whether to make the journey, how to prepare, and how to enjoy your experience. Please read this information carefully. Exploring Know Before You Go 8-11 Points of Interest • There is no public access to the Arctic Ocean from Deadhorse. 15 An Icebound Land You must be on an authorized tour. Call toll-free 1-877-474-3565; 17 Watching Wildlife in Fairbanks, 474-3565. 18 Recreation • There are no medical facilities between Fairbanks and Deadhorse, a distance of 500 miles/800 km. For emergency information, see the back page. Facilities and Services • Food, gas, and vehicle repair service are extremely limited. 5 Visitor Centers See page 5. 18 Campgrounds • There is limited cell phone service and public Internet connection between Fairbanks and Deadhorse. The Dalton Highway BLM Coordinator: Kelly Egger Contributors: Eugene Ervine, Lenore Heppler, Lisa Shon Jodwalis, Craig McCaa, Pam Rice. John Rapphahn, Crystal Glassburn, Jason Oles, Jason Post Produced and Designed by All photos courtesy of the BLM unless otherwise noted.
    [Show full text]
  • Where Is the Arctic?
    The Russian Arctic: where is the Arctic? This is a teacher worksheet for Key Stage 3 geography. It is designed to complement a wider scheme of work either on climate change or on Russia specifically. Curriculum relevance Understanding global biomes is important because: • Students should be able to use world maps to show the location of global biomes • Russia is the world’s largest country by landmass; it has five distinct biomes • It is a key skill to be able to compare climate graphs for different biomes World Biomes Where is the Arctic tundra? There are (confusingly) three definitions for the boundary to the Arctic: the Arctic tree line, the area where the average temperatures of the warmest month are less than 10°C or simply where the Arctic Circle is. 1. Go to the Appendix A. Using Figure 1, colour code the different areas to identify the 6 main biomes of planet Earth. Why not use a highlighter to emphasis number 1 — the Arctic tundra? The world’s major biomes are ribbons of land or ocean which wrap around the Earth. They are characterised by the same or similar flora and fauna (plants and animals), which are influenced in the first instance by soil, temperature and the amount of light and water in the biome. A biome is different to an ecosystem because it is larger and is a specific geographical area (and is not about the interaction between living and non-living organisms). Go to BBC Bitesize www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zh2p34j/revision/1 to really get to grips with this topic.
    [Show full text]
  • The Arctic: Opportunities, Concerns and Challenges
    ocean-climate.org Emmanuelle Quillérou, The Arctic: Mathilde Jacquot, Annie Cudennec, Opportunities, Denis Bailly Concerns and Challenges The Arctic is often thought of as the land of polar bears and explorers. There are already several industries operating in the Arctic, through the Arctic, or at the periphery of the Arctic Circle. Receding and thinning sea ice with climate change provides increased access to natural resources, shipping routes and touristic areas, thereby providing new opportunities for economic development in the Arctic. The rewards for operating in the Arctic are potentially extremely high and attractive, but at high financial, environmental and social costs in an environment which remains financially very risky. Some stakeholders have started securing access to Arctic resources, sowing the seeds for a ‘cold rush’. Such ‘cold rush’ has not materialised yet, slowed down because of high economic costs and political sensitivity. The main political challenge ahead is to successfully reconcile the different perspectives and interests in the Arctic. One option to facilitate this reconciliation is to build up existing institutional capacity in line with the pace of economic development. There is certainly strong potential for creating shared economic wealth and well-being. Actual choices made by Arctic industries and countries for economic development, coordination and cooperation for establishment of environmental and social safeguards within the coming years will shape what the future Arctic will look like. The Arctic refers to an oceanic area around the all five states bordering the Arctic Ocean, with North Pole and Arctic Circle partly covered in sea the addition of Iceland, Finland and Sweden.
    [Show full text]