THINGS TO REMEMBER: UNIT 2
TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS: AND CONTOUR LINES
IFYOU WANT TO EXPLORE THE EARTH’S SURFACES, ONE OF THE MOST HELPFUL TOOLS YOU CAN HAVE
IS A TOPOGRAPHIC MAP.
IT SHOWS THE SHAPE AND ELEVATION OF THE LAND SURFACES.
IT SHOWS THE SHAPE AND ELEVATION OF THE MOUNTAIN IN ADDITION TO ITS LOCATION
TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS USE CONTOUR LINES TO SHOW SHAPE AND ELEVATION.
A CONTOUR LINE IS A LINE ON A MAP THAT CONNECTS ALL POINTS OF EQUAL ELEVATION.
EVERY POINT LOCATED ON THE ISLAND’S ZERO CONTROUR LINE IS AT SEA LEVEL.
EVERY POINT LOCATED ON THE NEXT CONTOUR LINE IS 10 METERS ABOUT SEA LEVEL AND SO ON
THE UP AND DOWN DISTANCE BETWEEN CONTOUR LINES IS CALLED: CONTOUR INTERVAL
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THEY CAN BE DIFFERENT FROM ONE MAP TO ANOTHER.
THE INTERVAL MIGHT BE 5 METERS ON A MAP THAT SHOWS MOSTLY MOUNTAINS
THE VERTICAL DISTANCE BETWEEN COUNTOUR LINES ON A TOPOGRAPHIC MAP.
THE SHORT LINES ARE CALLED: HACHURES.
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CONTOUR LINES HINTS:
ALL CONTOUR LINES EVENTUALLY CLOSE, EITHER ON A MAP OR BEYOND ITS BORDERS
CONTOUR LINES NEVER CROSS EACH OTHER BECAUSE ONE POINT CANNOT HAVE MORE THAN
ONE ELEVATION
ON MOST TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS, ELEVATION IS MARKED FOR EVERY FIFTH CONTOUR LINE
Contour
Topographic map