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Geography
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Apr 3, 2024
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Exercise 1: Fundamental Geographic Concepts
The study of Geography is composed of evaluations of both human environments and physical environments. While GEOG 1103 emphasizes human-environment interactions, there are fundamental geographical concepts that overlap between human and physical geographical study. This tutorial emphasizes those concepts most useful to the geographical study of human environments.
Maps are basic spatial tools for all geographers. Maps aid in the identification of locations and in the display of geographic data across landscapes. Geographers also are interested in identifying patterns of data distribution and showing these patterns on maps. Different types of maps are useful for conveying various human geographic data.
Figure 1.1: Reconstruction of Eratosthenes’ Map of the Known World, c. 194 BCE
(Courtesy of E. H. Bunbury, A History of Ancient Geography among the Greeks and Romans
from the Earliest Ages till the Fall of the Roman Empire
, 1883, Public Domain)
Part 1. Understanding Maps
1.
Refer to lecture notes, textbook and personal experiences to answer the following questions.
a. What is a map
? A graphic presentation of the surface of the earth that has been reduced in size. All maps have some kind of distortion (may be in size, shape or direction) that results from converting the 3D surface of the earth to flat map.
b. What are thematic maps?
Thematic maps are maps that show the relationship between things (whatever the “theme” of the map is). Thematic maps usually only have one or two themes per map.
c. What are isolines
?
Isolines are lines on a map that connect points of equal value.
d. Maps based on isolines are called Isoline maps.
e. What are topographic maps
?
Topographic maps show a 3d representation of the surface of the earth using elevation contour lines. Most topographic maps also display other information, such as natural features (rivers, lakes) and human-built feature (roads, railways)
f. List at least 2 examples of ways that topographic maps may be useful in everyday life.
1.
When driving, topographic map is useful to know the equal elevation of the road and to know when to slow down.
2.
Architects and engineers use topographic maps to creating plans before building infrastructures.
3.
Planning a hiking route.
g. Have a look at the topographic map below (Figure 1.2). The thin, squiggly brown lines on this map are called contour lines
. These lines represent lines that connect points of equal elevation
. The interval of these lines is 20 feet. h. What is the elevation of point X on the Tri Point Trail is 5330 feet. Contour lines to go from the 5300’ contour to the 5400 contour.
-
There are 5 intervals
-
5400’-5300’= 100’
-
100’/5= 20’ per interval
-
Point X lies half between the 5320’ and 5340’ contours, thus the elevation of Point X is 5330’
Figure 1.2 Topographic Map of Tri Point Trail
By US Geological Survey. National Geodetic Survey. - US Geological Survey (USGS), Department of the Interior, US Government. National Geodetic Survey (NGS). Released to public domain., Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35609560
X
2.
Interpreting Isoline Maps (Figure 1.3)
a. Of locations A, B, C or D, which has the warmest temperature? D
b. Of locations A, B, C or D, which has the coldest temperature? B
c. Which U.S. state has the warmest recorded temperature? (use an atlas or look online for a map of the USA if you don’t know all the states) Texas
c. Based on the map, assign a T (true) or an F (false) to each of the following statements. Again, use an atlas or online map if necessary.
F Vancouver Island and Maine have dissimilar temperatures.
T Nevada and Illinois have similar temperatures.
T The highest temperatures occur in the southern part of the mapped area.
F All temperatures in Mexico are higher than 65 F.
Figure 1.3 Surface Temperature Map of the United States and adjacent areas.
Credit: University of Illinois
3.
Interpreting Thematic Maps (Figure 1.4)
a. Identify and explain the proportional symbol used by each map. Map A. Flow lines- The width of the line represents (is proportional to) the number of people (size of flow). The flow lines also show where people were moved.
Map B. Proportional circles- The size of the circle represents (is proportional to) the number people (percentage participating). The circles also use “pie” divisions to show frequency of participation.
b. In map (a) what type of settlement were the majority of individuals sent to? The majority of people were sent to road construction camps
.
c. In your own words interpret map (b).
A higher percentage of people (male and female, over 14 years of age) participate in curling in western Canada that eastern Canada.
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