Reading Graphs and Maps

X-Y Plot
Data that can be shown using two parameters X axis runs along the horizontal
Shows the independent variable

Y axis runs along the vertical

Shows the dependent variable

Example: The level of pollutant concentration vs. distance from the pollutant source

CO2 Concentration

Layers of the Atmosphere

X-Y Plots
The range of values on the axes should be as close to the values of the data as possible You do not need to start at 0!!! Keep the scale even if the data ranges from 5-50, then even spaces of 5 would work well The titles of the axes and the title of the graph are different

Pie Chart
Shows the percentage out of 100 for related factors Example: the percentage of energy that is used from a given resource

CO2 Emissions from Fossil Fuels

Contour Plots
Lines of equal value
Topographic maps lines of equal elevation

Often used to show concentration differences Example: nitrate pollution across the US

Insolation

Reading Maps
Latitude and Longitude
Horizontal and vertical lines on the globe

Global zones
Areas defined by latitude

Map Projections
3D world on a 2D map

Geography
Where are countries, rivers, oceans located?

Latitude and Longitude

Latitude horizontal lines that divide the earth from north to south
Starting point is the equator 0o

Longitude vertical lines that divide the earth from east to west
Starting point is the Prime Meridian 0o, runs through Greenwich, England

Latitude and Longitude

Global Zones
Tropics near the equator
Hot, humid, easterly winds

Temperate Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn

Dry, westerly winds

Arctic near the poles

Cold, humid, easterly winds

Global Zones

Map Projections
Unwrap the outside of a globe and lay it flat Most projections have distortion
Landmasses appear smaller or larger Relative sizes of landmasses are hard to determine

Common ones we will use are Mercator and Elliptical

Mercator Projection

Robinson Projection

Dymaxion Projection

Geography
Familiarize yourself with locations of continents, certain countries, and locations of major US cities Volcanic belts: Japan, Andes, Cascades, Philippines, Aleutians, Mountain belts: Appalachian, Rockies, Alps, Himalayas, Urals

World Map

World Map

US Map