Chapter 4: Maps
Social Science - Geography (CBSE Class 6)
Chapter Summary
- What is a Map? A map is a representation or a drawing of the earth's surface or a part of its surface drawn on a flat surface according to a scale.
- Globes vs. Maps: Globes are useful when we want to study the Earth as a whole, but when we want to study only a part of the Earth, like a country, state, or district, a map is more useful. Maps can show more details than a globe.
- Types of Maps: Maps can be broadly classified into three types:
- Physical Maps (Relief Maps): These maps show natural features of the Earth such as mountains, plateaus, plains, oceans, and rivers.
- Political Maps: These maps show cities, towns, villages, and different countries and states of the world with their boundaries.
- Thematic Maps: These maps focus on specific information, such as road maps, rainfall maps, maps showing the distribution of forests, industries, etc.
- Components of Maps: There are three main components of maps: Distance, Direction, and Symbol.
- Distance (Scale): A map is a reduced drawing of the world. The scale is the ratio between the actual distance on the ground and the distance shown on the map.
- Small Scale Maps: When large areas like continents or countries are shown on a small paper, we use a small scale (e.g., 5 cm on the map shows 500 km of the actual ground). These maps show less detail.
- Large Scale Maps: When a small area like your village or town is shown on paper, we use a large scale (e.g., 5 cm on the map shows 500 metres of the actual ground). These maps provide more detailed information.
- Direction: Most maps show the North direction at the top. The four main directions are North, South, East, and West. These are called cardinal points. Other intermediate directions are North-East (NE), South-East (SE), South-West (SW), and North-West (NW).
- Compass: We can find the direction of a place with the help of a compass. It is an instrument used to find the main directions. Its magnetic needle always points towards the North-South direction.
- Symbols: It is not possible to draw the actual shape and size of different features like buildings, roads, bridges, trees, railway lines, or wells on a map. So, they are shown by using certain letters, shades, colours, pictures, and lines. These symbols provide a 'universal language' that can be understood by everyone.
- Conventional Symbols: There is an international agreement regarding the use of these symbols.
- Colours: Different colours are used for different purposes. Generally, blue is used for water bodies, brown for mountains, yellow for plateaus, and green for plains.
- Distance (Scale): A map is a reduced drawing of the world. The scale is the ratio between the actual distance on the ground and the distance shown on the map.
- Sketch: A sketch is a drawing mainly based on memory and spot observation and not to scale. Sometimes a rough drawing is required of an area to tell where a particular place is located with respect to other places.
- Plan: A plan is a drawing of a small area on a large scale. A large-scale map gives a lot of information, but there are certain things which we may sometimes want to know, for example, the length and breadth of a room, which cannot be shown on a map. At that time, we can refer to a plan.
Questions and Answers
1. What are the three components of a map?
Answer: The three components of a map are:
- Distance
- Direction
- Symbol
2. What are the four cardinal directions?
Answer: The four cardinal directions are North, South, East, and West.
3. What do you mean by the term ‘the scale of the map’?
Answer: The scale of the map is the ratio between the actual distance on the ground and the distance shown on the map. For example, if the distance between your school and your home is 10 km, and on a map, it is shown by 2 cm, the scale of the map is 1 cm = 5 km.
4. How are maps more helpful than a globe?
Answer: Maps are more helpful than a globe in the following ways:
- Maps can show a small area in great detail (large scale maps), which is not possible on a globe.
- Maps can show specific information (thematic maps) like road maps, rainfall maps, forest distribution maps, etc., which a globe cannot.
- Maps are easier to carry and can be folded or rolled up.
- Maps can show the entire surface of the Earth, or just a part, on a flat surface, making it easier to study specific regions.
5. Distinguish between a map and a plan.
Answer:
| Map | Plan |
|---|---|
| A map is a representation of the Earth’s surface or a part of it drawn on a flat surface according to a scale. | A plan is a drawing of a small area on a very large scale. |
| Used to show large areas (continents, countries) or smaller regions with various details. | Used to show minute details of a very small area, like the dimensions of a room or a building. |
| Scale is generally smaller (e.g., 1 cm = 100 km). | Scale is generally very large (e.g., 5 cm = 5 meters). |
6. Which map shows a large area on a small scale?
Answer: A small scale map shows a large area (like continents or countries) on a small piece of paper.
7. Which map provides detailed information?
Answer: A large scale map provides detailed information, as it shows a small area (like a village or town) on a large scale.
8. From the given options, choose the correct answer.
(a) Plains are shown in ______ colour.
- (i) Blue
- (ii) Yellow
- (iii) Green
Answer: (iii) Green
(b) A compass is used –
- (i) To show symbols
- (ii) To find the main direction
- (iii) To measure distance
Answer: (ii) To find the main direction
(c) A scale is necessary –
- (i) For a map
- (ii) For a sketch
- (iii) For symbols
Answer: (i) For a map
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