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E.C.S. Ch. 1
Mapping Earth's Surface
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Topography | The shape of the land. |
Elevation | The height above sea level of a point on Earth’s surface. |
Relief | The difference in elevation between the highest and lowest parts of an area. |
Landform | A feature of topography formed by the processes that shape Earth’s surface. |
Landform region | A large area of land where the topography is similar. |
Plain | A landform made up of flat or gently rolling land with low relief. |
Mountain | A landform with high elevation and high relief. |
Mountain range | A group of mountains that are closely related in shape, structure, and age. |
Plateau | A landform that has high elevation and a more or less level surface. |
Lithosphere | The Earth’s solid, rocky outer layer. |
Atmosphere | The outermost sphere of Earth. It contains a mixture of gases that surrounds the planet. |
Hydrosphere | The sphere of Earth that makes up its oceans, lakes, rivers, and ice. |
Biosphere | The sphere of Earth that contains all living things- whether in the air, in oceans, or on and beneath the land. |
Globe | A sphere that represents Earth’s entire surface. |
Scale | A diagram that relates distance on a map to a distance on Earth’s surface. |
Symbols | Pictures that stand for features on Earth’s surface. |
Legend | Also known as a key, it’s a list of all the symbols used on the map with an explanation of their meaning. |
Equator | An imaginary, latitudinal line that circles Earth halfway between the North and South poles. |
Hemisphere | One half of the sphere that makes up Earth’s surface (Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western). |
Prime meridian | An imaginary, longitudinal line that makes a half circle from the North Pole to the South Pole and that passes through Greenwich, United Kingdom. |
Degree | A unit used to measure distances around a circle. One degree equals 1/360 of a full circle. |
Latitude | The distance in degrees north or south of the equator. |
Longitude | The distance in degrees east or west of the prime meridian. |
Map projection | A framework of lines that helps to show landmasses on a flat surface. |
Topographic map | A map showing the surface features of an area. |
Contour line | A line on a topographic map that connects points of equal elevation. |
Contour interval | The difference in elevation from one contour line to the next. |
Global Positioning System | (often abbreviated to G.P.S.) A method of finding latitude and longitude using satellites. |