![]() ![]() This tells you the elevation above sea level.Ģ. Index lines are the thickest contour lines and are usually labeled with a number at one point along the line. There are 3 kinds of contour lines you’ll see on a map: intermediate, index, and supplementary.ġ. If each line represents an equal point of elevation, then any change in elevation would lead to inconsistent line spacing, right? For example, several contour lines spaced close together would indicate steep terrain, while lines spaced far apart would indicate a gentler slope. They appear as hourglass shapes between two concentric circles.Ī quick glance at a topographic map will give you a general idea of the landscape. Identifying saddles can show you the quickest route through hilly areas. ![]() Saddle. A saddle is a low lying area between two higher points of elevation. Learning to identify common contour line formations will help you read topo maps quickly, and recognize the various terrain features they represent on a map. Contour lines, as we know them today, came into popular use in the mid-1800s along with the rise of resource extraction industries like mining and logging.Īfter reading contour lines on a map for a while, you’ll notice that a few distinct shapes pop again and again. It would be thousands of years before cartographers (map makers) could chart large areas of terrain with any real accuracy. The first known maps to include geographical features were found in Ancient Rome. Essentially, topographic maps represent the three-dimensional landscape of Earth within the two-dimensional space of a map. ![]() ![]() Topographic maps use a combination of colors, shading and contour lines to represent changes in elevation and terrain shape. A map with contour lines on it is called a topographic map. Topography is the study of geographical features on a landscape. Beyond backpacking and hiking, countless other professions use them - land surveyors, foresters, engineers, miners, geologists, hunters, to name a few. or lifesaving in a desperate survival situation. This information can be helpful when selecting a hiking route. If you trace the length of a line with your finger, each point you touch is the same height above sea level. If you were to walk the path of a contour line in real life, you would remain at the same elevation the whole hike, never traveling up or down.Ĭontour lines are critical to understanding the elevation profile of your terrain or a particular land formation. Put simply, contour lines mark points of equal elevation on a map. What are Contour Lines and Topographic Maps? Contour LinesĮver noticed those squiggly lines all over your hiking map? Other than the obvious trails and rivers, these squiggly lines are contour lines. What are Contour Lines and Topographic Maps?.The class would then answer for successively higher elevations at a selected contour interval (10, 20, 30 etc.), and discuss contour intervals and line placement. With the top attached map, the class could answer for 0 (sea level), and then discuss the concept of sea level as a base elevation for contour maps. Students can be provided with a paper copy of the map on which to record their answers and draw in the contour lines with the class when the clicker portion concludes, students can be directed to complete the map and submit it for assessment. The clicker activity can stop when the answers displayed are in the appropriate location. The class then answers for successively higher elevations at a selected contour interval, and discusses line placement and related topics such as contour intervals after each iteration. The resulting display of results will show multiple points across the map and illustrate the location of the contour line. ×Display the attached map of elevation points (or a similar map) and ask students to click on a specific elevation and a contour line of that value (ie. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |