Short Answer

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Short Answer
Answer each question with a few sentences.

This activity contains 11 questions.

When depicting large areas of the globe, the choice of map projection is often crucial to the map's success. Go to the Great Globe Gallery and note the selection of map projection types for the globe (conic, cylindrical, azimuthal, etc.). Click on one of the conic projections. Are the lines of latitude parallel to one another? What about lines of longitude?

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Go to the link provided above and choose a cylindrical projection, specifically the Mercator projection. Do the meridians of longitude converge toward the poles, as they do on a globe? What does this imply about distortions of size at high latitudes for this projection?

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Go to the link provided above and choose an azimuthal projection. Would you say that these are all quite different projections? Would you have any difficulty telling them apart?

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No map projection can simultaneously maintain true scale and shape. Some maps preserve scale (equivalent maps), and some preserve shape (conformal maps). However, most maps are neither equivalent nor conformal, but instead try to strike a compromise between the two types of error.

The map projections below are all quite popular.

[source for above]

Which of the above projections are equivalent (equal area)?

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According to the links provided, which of the above projections are conformal?

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According to the links provided, which of the above projections are commonly used for mapping the entire globe?

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What are some of the advantages of Mercator's map? Where are distortions of scale the largest? Why do you think some countries in equatorial Africa and South America might think that this map gives an unfair political advantage to the mid and high latitude countries?

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This is a standard time stamp from a satellite image:

What time and date was the image taken, according to the local time in your area? Briefly explain how you arrived at this answer. (Hint: At this time of year many parts of North America are observing daylight saving time.)

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Alber's is a conic projection. How many standard parallels are used? Does the map provide true scale anywhere? If so, where? What are the primary uses for this projection?

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What is the difference between active and passive remote sensing systems?

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A geographic information system (GIS) is an incredibly powerful tool to compare spatial data (i.e., to compare maps!). A great example of this is the real estate business. When shopping for a home, buyers are usually quite interested in finding out details and information about the neighborhood where they might buy a house, including both positive and negative information. What factors create a comfortable, safe, convenient, and pleasurable neighborhood? In other words, what different "maps" would you personally like to look at when buying a house?

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

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