This site is all connected to the project’s driving question: Why does this place look the way it does?  The video above connects a pair of powerful tools in the service of answering that question.  Google Earth’s Elevation Profile Tool helps users to better understand the shape of the land, wherever they are using Google Earth to explore.  The USGS’s Digital Geologic Maps of US States allows for easy investigation of the bedrock geology.  Put these two tools together, and can see how, in some cases, the topography is strongly influenced by that bedrock geology.  The video is less than five minutes long and shows you how to bring these cool tools together. 

Here are the basic steps from the video:

1. 1.Make sure you have a recent version of Google Earth (5.2 or later; Version 6 is available at this writing). 
   

2. 2.Download the kml or kmz files for your state from the USGS (here or above).
   

3. 3.Open the State Geologic Map file you just downloaded in Google Earth.
   

4. 4.Use the Path Tool to draw a line.  The line doesn’t need to be straight, but this follows convention for geologic profiles.  You may wish to make a path that follows a trail or highway, however.  This would allow you to easilty determine the rock formations along a hike or drive, if you keep track of the distance traveled. 
   

5. 5.After making your line, right-click or control-click on the path name and a pop-up menu should appear.
   

6. 6.Select “Show elevation profile” and the profile will appear.
   

7. 7.Use the compass rose and zoom features to align the profile with the line on the map.
   

8. 8.Move the cursor over the profile and the arrow on the profile will track with the arrow on the map.  Note that in the profile, the distance from the end point, the slope and the elevation are shown at the location of the cursor. 
   

9. 9.Play.