The Tools of Geography
DO NOW - What continent is this?
Latitude & Longitude
global grid - system of latitude and longitude that allows people to locate any point
on Earth’s surface
parallels of latitude - imaginary lines that run east and west around the globe
meridians of longitude - imaginary lines that run from the North Pole to the South
Pole
absolute location - location determined by the geographic coordinates of a place
coordinates - the meeting point of a parallel of latitude and a meridian of longitude
More Latitude & Longitude
equator - parallel of latitude that circles Earth midway between the north and south
poles
prime meridian - line that runs through Greenwich, England and marks 0 degrees
longitude
International Date Line - meridian of longitude that runs through the Pacific Ocean
halfway across the world from the prime meridian...when travelers cross this line,
they cross over to a different day
hemispheres - division of Earth into halves...the equator divides Earth into the
Northern and Southern Hemisphere, while the prime meridian divides Earth into
the Western and Eastern Hemisphere
Directions
compass rose - a small diagram used to indicate directions on a map
cardinal directions - north, south, east, and west
intermediate directions - northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest
Tropics, Circles, and Zones
Tropic of Cancer - the northernmost line of latitude where the sun’s rays ever beat
straight down
Tropic of Capricorn - the southernmost line of latitude where the sun’s rays ever
beat straight down
tropical zones - area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn
where the climate is generally hot
temperate zone - area between Earth’s tropical zones and polar zones, where the
climate is relatively mild
polar zone - area between the Arctic Circle and North Pole, and the Antarctic
Circle and South Pole, where the climate is generally cold