1. Mapping

2. Topic 2 Measuring the Earth
The Earth is not a perfect sphere but it’s extremely close (an oblate spheroid)

3. Layers of the Earth Lithosphere (solid rock)
From cooling magma 5 billion years ago
Hydrosphere (liquid water)
From outgassing within Earth’s interior and precipitation over millions of years
Atmosphere (gas)
From outgassing within Earth’s interior

4. Latitude Measures points north or south of the Equator
Also called “parallels”

5. Important lines of latitude

6. Longitude Measures points east or west of the Prime Meridian
Also called “meridians”
All lines of longitude meet at the poles

7. Earth’s latitude and longitude coordinate system:

10. The North Star - Nature's Compass
                                                                                                                     
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The North Star - Nature's Compass
The North Star (also called Polaris, polar star and polestar) never changes its place in the sky. When you face it, you are always facing North.
To find the North Star, first find the Big Dipper. Draw a straight line through the two pointer stars that make up the end of the dipper's bowl and continue this line away from the opening of the bowl until it intersects with Polaris.

11. Latitude is determined by the altitude of Polaris (the North Star)
In the Northern Hemisphere, the altitude of Polaris is equal to your latitude!

12. Longitude is determined by the apparent position of the Sun due to Earth’s rotation
Earth rotates 360 degrees in 24 hours (15 degrees per hour), so every 15 degrees of longitude equals one hour difference in time.
Because the Earth rotates from west to east, places to the east see the Sun first and are therefore ahead on the clock.

14. World Time Zones
The International Dateline (at 180 longitude) marks the place where a new calendar day begins

15. Contour maps (Topographic maps) are used to show elevation of the land

17. Rules for Drawing Isolines
1. Every point on an isoline represents an equal value
2. Isolines are generally smooth lines (no sharp corners)
3. Isolines are generally parallel to each other
4. An isoline is an endless line; it either closes upon itself on the map (forming a circle) or somewhere off the map
5. Closely spaced isolines represent steep gradients/slopes; widely spaced isolines represent gentle gradients/slopes
6. Isolines never branch or fork
7. Isolines never cross each other
Special Isolines:
Isotherms connect equal temperatures
Isobars connect equal pressures
Contour lines connect equal elevations

23. Depressions are shown with hachured contour lines