flat map that represents the three-dimensional curved surface of a globe is called a map projection . no projection is an entirely accurate representation of earth’s surface. ... however transferring a curved surface to a flat map results in a distorted image of the curved surface.
What is mapping the Earth surface called?
STUDY. topography . the shape of the land.
What is a way of showing the curved surface on a flat map?
A projection is a way to represent the Earth’s curved surface on flat paper. ... A map projection translates Earth’s curved surface onto two dimensions. There are two basic methods for making projections: The map maker “slices” the sphere in some way and unfolds it to make a flat map, like flattening out an orange peel.
Where was Mercator’s projection invented?
History and Development of the Mercator Projection
The Mercator projection was originally developed in 1569 by the Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator. At this time, many of Europe’s top cartographers and explorers used elliptical projections derived from Ptolemy’s latitude and longitude grid.
Why it is difficult to show the curved surface of the earth on a flat map correctly?
In flattening the curved surface of the earth, cartographers often sacrifice scale for size: Antarctica doesn’t stretch endlessly across the bottom of the earth, and China equals the size of the United States — including Alaska and Hawaii. ...
What happens when a curved surface is transferred to a flat map?
Transferring a curved surface to a flat map results in a distorted image of the curved surface . An area shown on a map may be distorted in size, shape, distance, or direction. Over the years, cartographers have developed several ways to transfer the curved surface of Earth onto flat maps.
What is the line at 0 degrees latitude called?
These lines are known as parallels. A circle of latitude is an imaginary ring linking all points sharing a parallel. The Equator is the line of 0 degrees latitude. Each parallel measures one degree north or south of the Equator, with 90 degrees north of the Equator and 90 degrees south of the Equator.
What is the most accurate representation of the earth?
- A conformal map projection preserves the shape of small areas but distorts their size.
- An equidistant map projection shows true distances, but only from the center of the projection or along specific lines.
Which part of the earth is best reflected on a map?
Which part of the earth is best reflected on a map? When the cylinder is cut open and flattened into a map, the regions near the Equator are the most accurate. Regions near the poles are the most distorted.
What is a three-dimensional map of the earth called?
A raised-relief map or terrain model is a three-dimensional representation, usually of terrain, materialized as a physical artifact.
What is the most accurate map projection?
AuthaGraph . This is hands-down the most accurate map projection in existence. In fact, AuthaGraph World Map is so proportionally perfect, it magically folds it into a three-dimensional globe. Japanese architect Hajime Narukawa invented this projection in 1999 by equally dividing a spherical surface into 96 triangles.
What is wrong with the Mercator projection?
Mercator maps distort the shape and relative size of continents, particularly near the poles. ... The popular Mercator projection distorts the relative size of landmasses , exaggerating the size of land near the poles as compared to areas near the equator.
What is the most famous cylindrical projection map?
Cylindrical Projection – Mercator
One of the most famous map projections is the Mercator, created by a Flemish cartographer and geographer, Geradus Mercator in 1569. It became the standard map projection for nautical purposes because of its ability to represent lines of constant true direction.
What is the best way to show Earth correctly?
Earth is best represented by a globe like the one seen in Figure below because Earth is a sphere. Sizes and shapes of features are not distorted and distances are true to scale. A globe is the most accurate way to represent Earth’s curved surface.
How is location determined?
The most common way is to identify the location using coordinates such as latitude and longitude or by the use of a street address when available. ... Lines of longitude and latitude crisscross the Earth. A location that is being described using latitude and longitude will have a set of coordinates.
What type of map is a small model of the land surface?
A map is classified as small scale or large scale or sometimes medium scale . Small scale refers to world maps or maps of large regions such as continents or large nations. In other words, they show large areas of land on a small space. They are called small scale because the representative fraction is relatively small.
