1. The Earth Earth Sciences Tools Earth’s Features

2. Earth Sciences Geology – Earth’s land, including the surface of the Earth, the inside of the Earth, how the Earth changes, and the Earth’s history Oceanography – the Earth’s oceans, including what they contain and how they interact with the air Meteorology – the Earth’s air, including weather Astronomy – outer space, including planets, stars, and other objects in space

3. Earth Sciences Geologists: study soils for agriculture, study earthquakes, help oil companies drill for oil Oceanographers: map ocean currents for meteorologists, study marine life Meteorologist: study the weather patterns and global warming Astronomers: study effects of sun, gravity, asteroid collisions

4. Maps Legend – a list of map symbols and their meanings Compass rose – the part of the map that shows the major compass directions Scale – the part of a map that shows the relationship between map distance and actual distance

5. N

6. Map Scales Equivalence Scale – uses two distances to make a comparison –1 centimeter = 5 kilometers If you measure the distance between two parts on a map as 5 centimeters, how many kilometers does this represent? 1 cm = 5 km 5 cm x x cm = (5 x 5) x = 25 km

7. Map Scale Problems If a map scale reads “1 centimeter = 10 kilometers”, how many kilometers does 4 centimeters represent? If a map scale reads “1 centimeter = 100 kilometers”, how many centimeters on the map represents 1200 kilometers? If a map scale reads “1 centimeter = 50 kilometers”, how many centimeters on the map represents 2000 kilometers?

8. Topographic Maps Map that shows the shape and elevation of the land surface Contour line – line on a map that connects points of equal elevation Contour interval – vertical distance between contour lines Hachure – short line that points towards the center of a depression V contour – line that represents crossing a river

9. Topographic Maps

10. The Earth’s Features Not perfect sphere –Distance around equator = 40,074 km –Distance around prime meridian = 40,007 km Continent – one of the seven major land masses Ocean – largest bodies of water on the Earth’s surface (4)

11. The Earth’s Features

12. The Earth’s Rotation Rotation – spinning of the Earth; from west to east Axis – imaginary line through the Earth that connects the North and South Poles North Pole – point farthest north South Pole – point farthest south

13. Rotation and Time Earth rotates on it’s axis in 24 hours Standard time zone – area that has the same clock time; Earth has 24 standard time zones –Not all countries have a regular time zone International date line – imaginary line that defines the start of day

15. Grid Systems Grid – set of horizontal and vertical lines on a map Latitude – angle that describes the distance north or south of the equator Equator – line of 0° latitude; halfway between the poles Parallel – line of latitude Degree – unit for measuring angles in a circle or sphere

16. Grid Systems Longitude – angle that describes the distance east or west of the prime meridian Meridian – line of longitude Prime meridian – line of 0° longitude Hemisphere – half of the Earth; northern, southern, western, and eastern

19. Special Parallels Tropic of Cancer – Sun is directly over this parallel on the first day of summer in the northern hemisphere (23.5° N) Tropic of Capricorn – Sun is directly over this parallel on the first day of winter in the southern hemisphere (23.5° S)