Chapter 2.1 Studying Geography Hemispheres 1.The Equator is one of these lines. 2.It circles the middle of the Earth like a belt 3. It divides the Earth into half spheres, or hemispheres 4. Everything north of the Equator is the Northern Hemisphere. 5. Everything south of the Equator is the Southern Hemisphere. 6. Another imaginary line divides the Earth into Eastern and Western Hemispheres. 7. This line is called the Prime Meridian. 8. Left of the Prime Meridian is the Western Hemisphere and right of the Prime Meridian is the Eastern Hemisphere. Finding Places on Earth 1. Latitude lines: They are parallel to the Equator. They measure distance north and south of the Equator. 2. Longitude lines: They circle the Earth Pole to Pole. They measure distance east and west of the Prime Meridian, which is at 0 Degrees north. 3. The grid system formed by lines of latitude and longitude makes it possible to find the absolute location of a place. Globes to Maps 1. Mapmakers use mathematics to create different types of map projections or ways of showing the Earth on a flat sheet of paper. Types of Maps are as follows: A. Mercator Projection: It shows true direction and land shapes accurately. But it does not show correct size or distance. Areas away from the Equator are distorted. Mercator Projection B. Robinson Projection: Shows a truer picture of land size and shape. However, the North and South Poles show a great deal of distortion. Robinson Projection C. Winkel Tripel Projection: The representation of land areas on this map closely resembles the globe model. Five Themes and Six Essential Elements of Geography 1. The Five Themes of Geography are 1. location 2. place 3. human-environment interaction 4. movement 5. regions Six Essential Elements 1. The World in Spatial Terms: Location is a useful starting point. By asking Where is it? you begin to develop an awareness of the world around you. 2. Places and Regions: It describes physical characteristics such a landforms, climate, and plant or animal life. Or it might describe human characteristics, such as language and way of life. To help organize their study, geographers often group places into regions. Regions are united by one or more common characteristics. 3. Human Systems: It refers to how people have shaped our world. A basic theme is movement of people, ideas, and goods. 4. Environment and Society: It shows how people use the environment and how their actions affect the environment. 5. Physical Systems: Hurricanes, volcanoes, and glaciers shape the Earths surface. Plants and animals depend upon one another and their surroundings for survival. 6. The Uses of Geography: It helps us understand the relationships among people, places, and environments. Mastering various tools can assist us in understanding geography. Types of Maps 1. Physical Maps: Shows land and water features. Colors include brown or green for land and blue for water. Black for elevation 2. Political Map: It shows the names and border of countries. They also show the location of cities and other human made features of a place. Often they identify major physical features of a land area. 3. Special purpose maps: They show patterns such as climate, natural resources, or population. A road map is another example of a special purpose map. Reading Maps 1. Map Scale: a measuring line that tells you the distance represented on a map. 2. A map has a symbol called a compass rose that tells you the position of the cardinal directions- north, south, east and west. Test will go Thursday for Core #3 and #4. Test will go on Friday for Core #1 and #2.