Chapter 5

1. Chapter 5 Views of Earth

2. 5.1 Landforms • Three types of Landforms • Plains • Large, relatively flat areas • Coastal plains – near the oceans • Can be called lowlands • Characterized by swamps, marshes, and low rolling hills • Examples – Atlantic coastal plains; Gulf coastal plains

3. 5.1 Continued • Interior plains – middle of the land • Large center portion of the U.S. is called the Great Plains or High plains due to their elevation * covered with grass and few trees

4. 5.1 Continued • Plateaus • Relatively flat, raised areas • Made of nearly horizontal rocks that have been uplifted by Earth processes • Differ from plains because the rise sharply from their surroundings • Example – Colorado Plateau – has been cut through by the Colorado River to form the Grand Canyon

5. 5.1 Continued • Mountains • tallest mountain = Mount Everest – 8800m above sea level (28,871 feet) • Four types of mountains • Folded • Upwarped • Fault-block • Volcanic

6. 5.1 Continued • Folded Mountains • Resemble a rug pushed against a wall • Earth processes cause the land to be pushed together causing it to fold • Example – Appalachian mountains • See figure 5-4

7. 5.1 Continued • Upwarped Mountains • Earth’s crust pushed up by forces inside Earth • Composed of exposed metamorphic and igneous rocks • Example – southern Rocky Mountains • See figure 5-5

8. 5.1 Continued • Fault-Block Mountains • Huge tilted blocks of rocks that are separated from surrounding rock by faults * fault – a large crack in rocks along which there is movement • one block of rock is pushed up while the other is pushed down • characterized by sharp jagged peaks • Example – Sierra Nevada Mountains

9. 5.1 Continued • Volcanic Mountains • Begin when magma reaches the Earth’s surface through a weak area in the crust • One layer builds on another until a cone is formed

10. 5.2 Viewpoints • Latitude • Lines that circle the earth in an East and West direction • Center latitude line = equator • Divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemisphere • numbered 0 degrees latitude • All lines parallel to the equator are latitude lines • Latitude at the poles is 90 degrees latitude

11. 5.2 Continued • Longitude (Meridians) • Lines that run from the North Pole to the South Pole and are not parallel to one another • Divides the Earth into East and West directions • Center Longitude line that travels through Greenwich, England = Prime Meridian • Points to the west are labeled West • Points to the East are labeled East • Longitude line that is 180 degrees around the world from the prime meridian = international date line

12. 5.2 Continued • Purpose of Latitude and Longitude • It provides an easier and more accurate method of locating places on a map • How are points written • They are written so that latitude comes first followed by longitude • 20ºN, 155ºW = Hawaii

13. 5.2 Continued • Earth Time • Time is measured by the movement of Earth in relation to the sun • Time Zones • There are 24 time zones on Earth due to the fact that it takes the Earth 24 hours to make one complete turn • There are 6 time zones in the U.S. • Do not follow longitude lines

14. 5.2 Continued • Calendar Dates • The calendar date changes as you cross over the international date line • Cross it to the west – add a day to the calendar • Cross it to the east – subtract a day from the calendar

15. 5.3 Maps • Map projections • Used to make maps of Earth • The transferring of points and lines of Earth to paper • Several different ways to make map projections • Each method is distorted in some manner

16. 5.3 Continued • Three types of projection • Mercator Projection • Have correct shapes of continents • Continents have a distorted area • Longitude lines are parallel • Latitude lines distorted • Areas near the poles are exaggerated

17. 5.3 Continued • Robinson Projection • Accurate continent shapes with accurate areas • Latitude lines are kept parallel • Longitude lines are kept curved • Less distortion near the poles

18. 5.3 Continued • Conic Projection • Used with weather and road maps • Used with maps of small area • Project points from a globe

19. 5.3 Continued • Topographic maps • Shows the changes in elevation of the Earth’s surface • Contour lines • A line on a map that connects points of equal elevation • Contour interval • The distance between contour lines • The closer the lines the steeper the surface

20. 5.3 Continued • Index contours • Marked with their elevation • Topographic map rules • Read the elevation numbers to determine if the structure is a hill, basin, or depression • Look for hatchures • Short lines at right angles to the contour line, which depicts depressions • Point to lower elevations

21. 5.3 Continued • Contour lines never cross • If they did it would mean that a particular place would have two elevations • Contour lines form V’s that point upstream whenever they cross streams. • Because streams flow in depressions that are lower than the surrounding areas

22. 5.3 Continued • Map Legend and Scale • Map Legend • Explain what the symbols used on the map mean • Map Scale • The relationship between the distances on the map and actual distances on Earth’s surface • Used in a ratio (1:100) • 1 unit on a map is equal to 100 units on land

23. 5.3 Continued • Uses of Maps • The map used will depend on the need • Mercator map – used to determine the relationship between two places • Robinson – used to see actual shapes of land near the poles • Conic map – used to travel in straight lines • Topographic – used to see heights in certain places

24. 5.4 Mapping Our Planet • Remote Sensing from Space • Landsat Satellites • Detect different wavelengths of energy reflected or emitted from Earth’s surface • Can show landforms in great detail • Topex-Poseidon Satellite • Uses radar to compute the distance to the ocean’s surface • Used to map the ocean bottom

25. 5.4 Continued • Global Positioning System (GPS) • Used to determine the exact location on Earth • Used in travel and tracking wildlife • Remote Sensing Under Water • Sonar • Uses sound waves to detect ocean bottom features • Used to make ocean floor maps