Maps

A globe shows the whole Earth correctly, but it cannot give detailed information about a small part of it. A map is a drawing of the Earth's surface, or a part of it, on a flat surface according to a scale. In this chapter you will learn about physical or relief maps, showing natural features like mountains, plateaus, plains and rivers; political maps, showing countries, states and cities with their boundaries; and thematic maps, focusing on specific information such as roads, rainfall or forests. The chapter explains the three components of maps: distance, direction and symbols. A scale is the ratio between the distance on the map and the actual distance on the ground, for example 1 cm = 10 km. Maps show the four cardinal directions and intermediate directions such as north-east, and a compass helps find them. Conventional symbols and colours are used, such as blue for water and brown for mountains. You will also learn how a sketch differs from a plan.

Detailed Worksheet: Maps Section A - Definitions (10 marks) 1. What is a map? How is it different from a globe? (2 marks) 2. Name the three types of maps and state what each shows. (2 marks) 3. What is a scale? Why is it important on a map? (2 marks) 4. What are cardinal and intermediate directions? Name them. (2 marks) 5. Distinguish between a sketch and a plan. (2 marks) Section B - Calculations and Applications (15 marks) 6. A map has a scale of 1 cm = 5 km. Find the actual distance between two towns that are (i) 4 cm apart (ii) 7.5 cm apart (iii) 12 cm apart on the map. (3 marks) 7. On a map with the scale 1 cm = 50 km, find the map distance for actual distances of (i) 200 km (ii) 375 km (iii) 1000 km. (3 marks) 8. The distance between two villages is 30 km. On map P it is shown as 6 cm and on map Q as 3 cm. (i) Find the scale of each map. (ii) Which is the larger-scale map? (iii) Which map will show more details of the area? (3 marks) 9. Riya stands facing north. (i) Which direction is on her right? (ii) If she turns to face west, which direction is behind her? (iii) Which intermediate direction lies between south and east? (3 marks) 10. State the colour used on maps for: (i) water bodies (ii) mountains (iii) plains. Draw the conventional symbols for (iv) a railway line (v) a bridge (vi) a temple. (3 marks) Section C - Diagrams (10 marks) 11. Draw a compass rose showing the four cardinal directions and four intermediate directions. Label each. (4 marks) 12. Draw a sketch map of your classroom showing the door, windows, blackboard, teacher's table and rows of desks. Mark the north direction. (3 marks) 13. Draw any six conventional symbols used in maps and name them, for example railway line, metalled road, post office, well, international boundary and settlement. (3 marks) Section D - Analysis and Higher-order Thinking (15 marks) 14. A tourist wants to visit three places in a city. (i) Which type of map would help most? (ii) What details should the map have? (iii) How will the scale help her plan her travel time? (iv) Why are symbols useful on such maps? (5 marks) 15. Large-scale and small-scale maps serve different purposes. (i) Explain the difference with examples. (ii) Which would you use to show your village and which to show the whole of India? (iii) Why can a single map not show all details of the world? (iv) Why is an atlas useful? (5 marks) 16. A student draws a map without a scale or a north direction. (i) What problems will a reader face? (ii) How can these be fixed? (iii) Why do maps have a legend or key? (iv) Name one situation where a sketch is enough and one where a plan is needed. (5 marks) Instructions: Time allowed 2 hours. Attempt all sections. Show all steps of scale calculations and draw maps neatly with the north direction marked.