Maps: A Visualization Tool
Name:
Activity 3: Contour Profiles and Vertical Exaggeration
Lab Section:
Date:
1. On the left and right sides of the topographic map in Fig. 1 are marked an A and an A′,
respectively.
Fig. 1: A topographic contour map.
1. Construction of the topographic profile.
a. Using the points A and A’, draw the line of section on the map.
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Maps: A Visualization Tool
Activity 3: Contour Profiles and Vertical Exaggeration
b. Determine the minimum and maximum elevations crossed by the section.
Maximum:
Minimum:
c. What is the relief along the section?
d. Lay a piece of paper along the line A-A′. Mark the position of each contour line on the
edge of the paper.
e. Label each index contour line on the piece of paper.
f. Position the paper with the contour locations along the bottom of Fig. 2. Transfer the
position of each contour line to the bottom of the cross section.
g. At each contour line position, extend a vertical line from the bottom of the figure to
the horizontal line representing the elevation of the contour. (Use the vertical scale on
the left.)
h. Connect the dots to construct the topographic profile.
Fig. 2: A vertical section for constructing a topographic profile.
2. Determining the vertical exaggeration of the profile.
a. One inch on the map equals how many feet on the ground?
b. Measure the distance between the thousand foot contour lines on the left vertical
scale.
(1) One inch equals how many feet of
elevation?
(2) The vertical exaggeration of this profile is
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Maps: A Visualization Tool
Activity 3: Contour Profiles and Vertical Exaggeration
1 in.
vertical exaggeration 
horizontal scale
vertical scale
ft

1 in.
ft
ft
ft


c. Label the profile accordingly.
3. Construction of another topographic profile along the same section but at a different
vertical exaggeration.
a.
Use the right vertical scale to complete the topographic profile. Use squares or a
different color to construct this profile.
b.
Measure the vertical scale on the right side of Fig. 2. An
inch equals how many feet of elevation?
c.
Calculate the vertical exaggeration of this new topographic profile.
1 in.
Vertical exaggeration 
horizontal scale
vertical scale
ft

1 in.
ft

d.
ft
ft

Label this profile with the proper value for V.E.
4. What must one be aware of about slopes when using vertical exaggeration to portray
the land surface?
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