Topographic Map Lab NAME: _________________________ DATE: __________________________ BLOCK: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7_ Topography is the shape of the land. Topographic maps are used to aid in the visualization of the shape of the land. Topographic maps include the accurate representation of places, directions, distances, and elevations. People use topographic maps for things like planning a hike and purchasing a piece of property. Definitions: Use your notes or a dictionary to find the definitions of these words Topography – True Geographic North – Magnetic North – Fractional Scale – Elevation – Contour – *The lines show how the topography is changing. Contours cannot split or intersect. * Here is a picture showing how the contour lines translate into shape of the land surface. The top drawing shows contours, the bottom drawing shows a profile (or cross section) of the land (hills and valleys). Note how the two drawings relate. Border of the Map 1. What is the name of the map? ____________________________________________________ 2. Who published this map? _______________________________________________________ 3. What is the publish date of this map? ______________________________________________ 4. How much difference is there between magnetic north and geographic north on this map (in degrees)? ____________________________________________________________________ 5. If you were to leave this map and need to find the map immediately adjacent to the southwest what is the name of the map would you need to look up? ______________________________ 6. Note the three bar scales. What are the units for each bar? _____________________________ 7. What is the fractional scale of the map? ____________________________________________ 8. Properly report the latitudes and longitudes that bound this map. NE Lat ______________ Long _____________ NW Lat ______________ Long ____________ SE Lat ______________ Long _____________ SW Lat ______________ Long ____________ 9. This is a how many minute series map? ____________________________________________ 10. What is the latitude and longitude of the center of this map? ____________________________ Map Symbols Directions: Use the Legend on the map to Answer the Question, if there is no feature put N/A 1. What are the pink shaded areas on the map? _________________________________________ 2. What are the green shaded areas on the map? ________________________________________ 3. What are the blue features? ______________________________________________________ 4. What are the bold red lines? _____________________________________________________ 5. What are the black geometric shapes? _____________________________________________ Distance If you choose to use the fractional scale to calculate distances, you can use a simple equation to convert measured inches to true distance in miles. You can also measure distance using the scale bars to convert ruler distance to distance on a map. Show your work for each problem. 1. What is the distance in miles from the top of the map to the bottom? 2. What is the distance in miles from the eastern side of the map to the western? 3. Calculate the area encompassed by this map? 4. How wide is the river on this map? 5. What is the distance from Point A to Point B? (Start at point A) Elevation Brown lines on the map are called contour lines and they represent lines of equal elevation. If you stay on that line you remain at that elevation. There are two types of brown lines, bold lines, and fine lines. 1. Find a bold brown line. Follow the line until you find a number and record it. ______________ 2. Find the next adjacent bold line and record its elevation. _______________________________ 3. What is the change in elevation between these two lines? ______________________________ (Remember a change is a subtraction (bigger number – smaller number)) 4. How many fine lines are between the bold lines? _____________________________________ 5. What is the change in elevation between the fine lines? _______________________________ (Remember a change is a subtraction (bigger number – smaller number)) This is the contour interval for this map, and it is also written at the bottom of the map below the three bar scales. Contour patterns Find an example of each contour pattern on the map and name a nearby place or feature (river, town, forest, etc..). 1. Steep topography ____________________________________________________________________ 2. Shallow or flat topography _____________________________________________________________ 3. Hill _______________________________________________________________________________ 4. Stream valley _______________________________________________________________________ 5. What do you notice about the areas of the map that have more buildings compared to areas that do not? How do the landforms affect development? (at least 5-7 good sentences backing your explanation) Drawing Contour lines Directions: 1. Using the bold contour lines (500, 400, 300, 200), and the different points of elevation; draw contour lines throughout the rest of the map to reveal the topography. 2. When you are finished drawing contour lines, shade in the areas with your pencil where the topography is steep (contour lines are close together) 3. Put an X on top of the hill (look for circles). 4. Draw and highlight “v’s” where each contour line crosses the river Directions: Below is a topographic map of the big island of Hawaii. If you remember, Hawaii is a Flat shield volcano made of layers of fluid, low viscosity magma that travels large distances. 1. With your pencil, shade in the Steep areas. 2. Put a large X At top of each hill or mountain, 3. Your final task is to create a profile from A to A’. Good Luck! A 16000 A’ 16000 12000 12000 8000 8000 4000 0 4000 0 Final Review Questions 1. In your own words and sentences, explain how you were able to determine where steep areas on a topo map were: 2. How were you able to determine the contour interval from the maps? 3. How were able to locate hills or mountains on the map? 4. How were able to draw contour lines? 5. What did the contour lines do as they crossed a river? Did they point upstream or downstream?
