click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
earhs surface ch1
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| topography | the shape of the land determined by elevation relief and landforms |
| elevation | height above sea level |
| relief | he difference in elevation between the highest and lowest points of parts of an area |
| landform | a feature of topography formed by the processes that shape earth surface |
| plain | a landform made up of flat of 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 area and age |
| plateau | a large landform that has high elevation and more or less level surface |
| landform region | a large area of land where topography is made up mainly of one landform |
| globe | a sphere that represents Earth's entire surface |
| map | a flat model of all or part of Earth's surface as seen from above |
| map projection | a framework lines that helps to transfer points on Earth's surface onto a flat map |
| symbol | on a map a picture used by map makers to stand for features on earths surface |
| key | a list of the symbols used on a map and their meanings |
| scale | used to relate distance on a map or globe to distance on Earth's surface |
| degree | a unit used to measure distances around a circle one degree equals 1/360 of a circle |
| equator | an imaginary line that circles earth halfway between the north and south poles |
| hemisphere | one half of the sphere that makes up Earth's surface |
| prime meridian | the line that makes a half circle from the north pole to the south pole and passed through Greenwich , England |
| latitude | the distance in degrees north and south of the equator |
| longitude | the distance in degrees east or west or the prime meridian |
| surveying | the process of gathering data for a map by using instruments and the principles of geometry to determine distance and elevations |
| digiting | converting information to numbers for use on a computer |
| pixel | one bit of a digitized image often appearing as a small square or dot |
| Ariel photograph | a photograph taken by cameras mounted in airplanes |
| satellite image | a picture of the land surface based on computer data collected from satellites |
| global positioning system | a navigation system that uses satellite signals to locate a radio receiver on Earth's surface |
| geographic information system | a system of computer hardware and software used to produce interactive maps |
| topographic map | a map that shows 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 |
| index contour | on a topographic map a heavier contour line that is labeled with with elevation of that contour line |