2009 road scholars event guidelines rocky mountain science olympiad coach’s clinic university of...
TRANSCRIPT
2009 Road ScholarsEvent Guidelines
Rocky MountainScience Olympiad Coach’s ClinicUniversity of Colorado-Colorado
SpringsJanuary 9-10, 2009
Presented by:
Mark A. Van HeckeNational Science OlympiadEarth-Space Science Events Rules
Chair
Anchor Bay High SchoolFair Haven, [email protected]://www.mvanhecke.net
OBJECTIVES:
• Determine how topographic maps are configured on the Earth’s surface
• Locate marginal information on USGS topographic maps
• Determine approximate and exact geographic coordinates
Topographic Maps
• How are they configured on Earth’s surface?
• Topographic Map Features
Topographic MapsTopographic maps are highly detailed representations of natural and human features found on the surface of the Earth.
One or more sets of topographic maps will be used in the Science Olympiad Road Scholars competition.
Topographic MapsMost of the topographic maps used in the Road Scholars competition are 7.5” series quadrangles published by the United States Geologic Survey.
The land area shown on each map represents about 49-70 square miles of the Earth’s surface.
Topographic Maps
LatitudeLongitude
Lines of longitude and latitude are used to divide each degree of the Earth’s surface in half into 30 minute units, then in quarters to form 15 minute units and then in eighths to form 7.5” (minute) units.
Marginal Information
• Marginal Information found on USGS Topographic Maps
• Nine Mental Sectors• Location of Features
Marginal Information
Topographic maps are loaded with information that will help you find the location of things on the map and to understand the map and its features.
We’ll begin in the upper-right corner and continue through the rest of the map in a clockwise-direction.
Marginal Information
Northeast CornerThe NE coordinates of the map are 43°30’N72°15’W
Marginal Information
Southeast CornerThe SE coordinates of the map are 43°22’30”N72°15’00”W
Marginal Information
Southwest CornerThe SW coordinates of the map are 43°22’30”N72°22’30”W
Marginal Information
Northwest CornerThe NW coordinates of the map are 43°30’00”N72°22’30”W
Geographic Coordinates
• Geographic Grid• Approximate Geographic
Coordinates• Exact Geographic Coordinates• Locating Topographic Map Features
Geographic Coordinates
You can use tic line information located on all four neatlines to help you determine approximate and exact geographic locations on topographic maps.
Reading Latitude
Read upward from the bottom neatline along the right neatline.You should see a tic line along the margin labeled 25’
Reading Latitude
Look directly across the map along the left neatline.You should see another tic line along the margin labeled 25’
Reading Latitude
Now continue reading upwards along the right neatline.You should see a tic line along the margin labeled 27’30”
Reading Latitude
Read directly across the map.You should see another tic line along the margin labeled 27’30”
Reading Latitude
Read upward to the upper right corner of the map. You should see a tic line along the margin labeled 43°30’ You should see another tic line along the margin labeled 43°30’ if you read directly across to the left side of the map.
Reading Latitude• As you read latitude upwards, the
number of minutes and seconds increases.
• Latitude measurements in the United States are always north of the Equator
• Measurement of latitude is the same on the right and left sides of the map.
• There are 2.5 minutes between each measured section
Reading Longitude
Locate the longitude reading of 43° 22’ 30” printed near the lower right corner of the quadrangle.
Reading Longitude
Read to the left along the bottom neatline until you reach the tic line marked 17’30”.
Look directly across the map along the top neatline.You should see another tic line along the margin labeled 17’30”
Reading Longitude
Continue reading to the left along the bottom neatline until you reach the tic line marked 20’.
Look directly across the map along the top neatline.You should see another tic line along the margin labeled 20’.
Reading Longitude
Continue reading to the left along the bottom neatline until you reach the southwest corner marked 72°22’30”
Look directly across the map along the top neatline to the northwest corner.You should see another tic line along the margin labeled 72°22’30”
Reading Longitude
• As you read longitude from right to left the number of minutes and seconds increases
• Longitude measurements in the United States are always east of the Prime Meridian
• Although there are 2.5 minutes between each section, lines of longitude are not equidistant.
Geographic Coordinates
Geographic Coordinates are formed at the intersection of lines of latitude and longitude
Geographic Coordinates
Northeast CornerThe NE coordinates of the map are 43°30’00”N72°15’00”W
Geographic Coordinates
Southeast CornerThe SE coordinates of the map are 43°22’30”N72°15’00”W
Geographic Coordinates
Southwest CornerThe SW coordinates of the map are 43°22’30”N72°22’30”W
Geographic Coordinates
Northwest CornerThe NW coordinates of the map are 43°22’30”N72°22’30”W
Identifying Map Sectors
You can use tic line information located on all four neatlines to help you identify the nine mental sectors of your topographic map.
Identifying Map Sectors
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
The tic line boundaries can be used to form the Nine Mental Sectors of topographic maps that can be used as a reference point to locate features
Identifying Map Sectors
The cross-hairs can be used to determine the approximate coordinates of features located near them.
Exact Coordinates
Let’s use the Claremont, NH map to determine the exact coordinates of Union Church in Sector 7
Exact Latitude Coordinates
To determine latitude:• Measure the distance in millimeters
(mm) from the bottom neatline to where the cross joins the main building.
That measurement should be approximately 40mm
Exact Latitude Coordinates
• Divide that measurement (40mm) by 192.5- the distance in mm from the bottom sector boundary to the top sector boundary.
Your answer should be SLDN (some long decimal number)
.2077922
Exact Latitude Coordinates
• Multiply your answer by 150-the number of seconds in a 2.5’ topographic map sector
Your answer should be 31.16883
This is the number of seconds that the building is away from the sector boundary
Exact Latitude Coordinates
• Now, let’s convert our seconds to minutes…First round to the nearest ones-place which would give you 31 seconds…
Exact Latitude Coordinates
• Now, add the 31” to the value of the bottom sector boundary.
If the bottom neatline measures 43°22’30”N and we add an additional 31”, then our latitude measurement for Union Church will be:
43° 23’ 01”N
Exact Latitude Coordinates
• Now, add the 31” to the value of the bottom sector boundary.
If the bottom neatline measures 43°22’30”N and we add an additional 31”, then our latitude measurement for Union Church will be:
43° 23’ 01”N
Exact Longitude Coordinates
• Measure the distance in millimeters from the right sector boundary to where the cross joins the main building on Union Church in Sector 7.
That measurement should be 128mm
Exact Longitude Coordinates
• Divide that measurement (128mm) by 141-the distance in mm from the right sector boundary to the left sector boundary.
Your SLDM should be .9078014
Exact Longitude Coordinates
• Multiply your answer by 150- the number of seconds in a 2.5’ sector.
Your answer should be 136.17021
Round that answer to 136 seconds (136”)
Exact Longitude Coordinates
• Determine the number of minutes in 136 seconds (2). You will have 16 seconds left over.
• Add 02’16” to the value of the right sector boundary.If the right sector boundary measures 72° 20’ and we add an additional 02’16”, your answer should be:
72° 22’ 16”W
Exact Longitude Coordinates
The exact geographic coordinates of the Union Church are:
43° 23’ 01”N 72° 22’ 16”W
Exact Coordinates
Now on your own, find the exact geographic coordinates of the following features:
Radio Tower Sector 8Ironwood Hill Sector 4Covered Bridge Sector 1
Exact Latitude Coordinates
To determine latitude:• Measure the distance in millimeters
(mm) from the bottom neatline to where the cross joins the main building.
That measurement should be approximately 98mm
Exact Latitude Coordinates
• Divide that measurement (98mm) by 192.5- the distance in mm from the bottom sector boundary to the top sector boundary.
Your answer should be SLDN (some long decimal number)
.5090909…
Exact Latitude Coordinates
• Multiply your answer by 150-the number of seconds in a 2.5’ topographic map sector
Your answer should be 76.563635
This is the number of seconds that the building is away from the sector boundary
Exact Latitude Coordinates
• Now, let’s convert our seconds to minutes…You will need to determine the number of minutes that can be derived from the measurement.
That number is 1 minute (60 seconds) with 16 seconds left
Exact Latitude Coordinates
• Now, add the 01’16” to the value of the bottom sector boundary.
If the bottom neatline measures 43°22’30”N and we add an additional 01’16”, then our latitude measurement for the Radio Tower in Sector 8 will be:
43° 23’ 46”N
Exact Longitude Coordinates
• Measure the distance in millimeters from the right sector boundary to where the cross joins the main building on Union Church in Sector 8.
That measurement should be 21mm
Exact Longitude Coordinates
• Divide that measurement (21mm) by 141-the distance in mm from the right sector boundary to the left sector boundary.
Your SLDM should be .1489361
Exact Longitude Coordinates
• Multiply your answer by 150- the number of seconds in a 2.5’ sector.
Your answer should be 22.340415
Round that answer to 22 seconds (22”)
Exact Longitude Coordinates
• Add 22” to the value of the right sector boundary.If the right sector boundary measures 72° 17’30” and we add an additional 22”, your answer should be:
72° 17’ 52”W
Exact Longitude Coordinates
The exact geographic coordinates of the Radio Tower in Sector 8 are:
43° 23’ 46”N 72° 17’ 52”W
Exact Longitude Coordinates
The exact geographic coordinates of Ironwood Hill in Sector 4 are:
43° 26’ 00”N 72° 21’ 01”W
Exact Longitude Coordinates
The exact geographic coordinates of Covered Bridge in Sector 1 are:
43° 27’ 47”N 72° 21’ 11”W