UNIT 1. THE REPRESENTATION OF THE EARTH. 1. How is the earth represented? Globes and maps The earth is spherical. However it is not a perfect sphere. It is slightly flattened at the poles..globes represent the earth accurately, because they have a similar shape, but they do not contain detailed information..maps are the most common representation of the earth. They provide detailed information. Establishing direction We use the cardinal points to establish direction. The principal cardinal points are north, south, east and west. Some elements in nature can help us. For example, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, and the North Star always indicates north. A compass is an instrument with a magnetic needle which always points north. A compass helps us find our way in a forest, at sea or even in a city if we get lost.
2. What types of maps are there? Types of maps There are three types of maps:.physical maps give information on relief, and show mountains, rivers, etc..thematic maps give information on particular subjects: climate, vegetation, etc..political maps give information on countries, borders, etc. A) B)
Activities 1.Look at the maps above On which map can you identify? a. Countries b. Climates c. Capital cities and boundaries d. Seas Is map A physical, thematic or political? Is map B physical, thematic or political? 2.Now study map B more closely a. Symbols like colours, lines and points are used on maps. What symbols are used on this map? b. What does colour represent? c. Which are the coldest continents? d. In which continent is the biggest desert? e. Which continents have a Mediterranean climate? 3.Look for different types of thematic maps in your book What are they about? 3.How do we locate places on maps? Meridians and parallels A series of imaginary vertical and horizontal lines enables us to identify the exact location of Places on Earth.Meridians are semicircles which go from one pole to the other. The prime meridian (0º) (Greenwich meridian) is the point of reference for other meridians. It divides the Earth into two hemispheres: the western hemisphere and the eastern hemisphere.
.Parallels are circles which are perpendicular to the meridians. The Equator is the most important parallel and is the point of reference for the other parallels. It is at the same distance from both poles. It divides the Earth into two hemispheres: the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere. The Equator divides the Earth into the Northern and southern hemispheres Other important parallels, from North to South, are:.the Arctic circle.the Tropic of Cancer.The Tropic of Capricorn.The Antarctic Circle Latitude and longitude
Latitude and longitude indicate geographical coordinates: the exact location of a place on the Earth. Latitude is measured by using the parallels which start at the Equator (0º). At the poles there are 90º. They are north (N) or south (S). Longitude is measured by using the meridians which start at the prime meridian (0º). They run vertically from 0º to 180º to the west (W), and 0º to 180º to the east (E). All locations on a line have the same longitude. The combination of latitude and longitude gives us the geographical coordinates of a place. The numbers on the right and left of the map indicate latitude The numbers at the top and bottom of the map indicate longitude Activity Identify the coordinates Look carefully at the lines of latitude and longitude. What are the coordinates of the three cities? Complete the table. City Latitude longitude Buenos Aires 38º S Oslo 10º E Beijing
4. How do we represent scale on a map? Scale Maps are reduced representations of reality. Scale indicates the difference between the size of something in the real world and its size on a map. Scale can be indicated in two different ways on a map:.numeric scale is expressed as a fraction. The numerator represents a unit on a map, for example, 1cm. The denominator represents its size in the real world. A scale of 1/20 means that 1 cm. on the map is equal to 20 cm. on the ground..graphic scale (bar scale) is a bar or line divided into equal segments, usually 1 cm. The numbers on the bar indicate the actual size which each segment represents.
Activity Plan a car trip through Spain beginning in Madrid. Measure the distances between the cities using the scale and a ruler. Then complete the table. Madrid-Sevilla Alicante-Valencia Zaragoza-Barcelona Zaragoza-Bilbao Barcelona-Sevilla Approximate distance in Kilometres