Geography Review: Types of Maps and Concepts

Types of Maps

• Political Maps: Show provinces, territories, and capitals without physical features.
• Physical Maps: Highlight geographical features like mountains, rivers, and lakes.
• Road Maps: Display major highways and buildings; an example includes Google Maps.
• Topographic Maps: Use contour lines; complex initially but essential for understanding terrain.
• Thematic Maps: Center around specific topics, such as voting patterns in Canada.

Mr. Help Framework

• M: Movement
• R: Region
• HE: Human Environment Interaction
• L: Location
• P: Place

Location Concepts

• Absolute Location: Precise geographical coordinates, e.g., 225 Webb Drive, Mississauga, ON.
• Relative Location: Position defined by its relation to other places using directional terms, e.g., “five minutes from Square One.”

Plate Tectonics

• Discovered by J. Tuzo Wilson in 1968; consists of 15 major and 60 minor tectonic plates, moving at 2-5 cm per year.
• Volcanic Eruptions: Trigger plate movement at convergent and divergent boundaries.
• Transform Boundaries: Produce earthquakes without volcanic activity (e.g., San Andreas Fault).
• Pacific Ring of Fire: Zone of frequent and powerful earthquakes and volcanoes surrounding the Pacific Plate.
• Boundary Types:
  • Divergent Boundaries: Plates pull apart.
  • Convergent Boundaries: Plates collide.
  • Transform Boundaries: Plates slide past each other.

Important Geomorphological Terms

• Subduction: Oceanic plate slides beneath a continental plate.
• Erosion: Weathering and transport of materials by natural forces.
• Weathering: Breakdown of rocks without movement.
• Deposition: Sediment accumulation by wind, water, or ice.
• Mid-Ocean Ridge: Formed by diverging plates in the ocean.
• Convection Currents: Movement of magma causing tectonic plate shift.

Alfred Wegener's Continental Drift Theory

• Proposed continents were once part of the supercontinent Pangaea.
• Key Evidence:
  • Jigsaw Fit: Coastlines of continents fit together like puzzle pieces.
  • Identical Fossils: Mesosaurus fossils found in both South America and Africa.
  • Glacial Deposits: Ancient ice sheets in tropical regions indicate they were once closer to the poles.
  • Mountain Structures: Similar rock types in mountain ranges across continents suggest past connections.

Landform Regions in Canada

• Western Cordillera:
  • Geologically young; shaped by weathering and erosion.
  • Rich in fishing and mining resources.
• Innuitian Mountains:
  • Remote highlands; significant fossil fuels but costly to access.
• Appalachian Mountains:
  • Oldest highland landform; popular for tourism and farming.
• Canadian Shield:
  • Covers half of Canada; oldest landform, predominantly sedimentary rock and low soil fertility.
• Interior Plains:
  • Lowland region in the west known for oil and farmland.
• Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Lowlands:
  • Population dense area, with urbanization conflicts; vital farmland needs protection.

Important Geological Concepts

• Fossil Fuels: Formed from decayed organic materials due to heat and pressure.
• Highland Formation: Created by folding and faulting sedimentary materials; includes the Appalachian, Innuitian, and Western Cordillera regions.
• Advanced Erosion Processes: Rocks break down through wind, water, and ice wear.

Key Figures and Terminology

• Alfred Wegener: Developed the idea of continental drift in 1915.
• J. Tuzo Wilson: Advanced plate tectonics theory in 1968, validating Wegener's ideas.
• Igneous Rock: Formed from cooled magma.
• Plate Tectonics: Theory asserting that Earth's surface consists of moving plates.
• 75: Total number of tectonic plates identified.

Geological Processes and Effects

• Convection Currents: Cause tectonic plate movement; occur in the lower mantle.
• Subduction: One plate descends below another at convergent boundaries.
• Pacific Ring of Fire: Region with heightened volcanic and seismic activity.
• Crust: Surface layer where human activity occurs.