HOW DO TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS
SHOW ELEVATION?
SILVER BURDETT COMPANY
NAME ___________________________
DATE __________________ PERIOD ____
Background:
Contour maps use a series of lines to indicate elevation by connecting points of equal elevation on
the map. The distance between one contour line and the next closest contour line is called the
contour interval. The contour interval varies from map to map but always remains constant for
each individual map. By knowing how to read contour maps, it is possible to identify valleys,
depressions, steep and gentle hills and other features found on the map. By doing this
investigation, you will become familiar enough with contour maps to read them with ease. You will
learn to recognize steep and gentle slopes. You will also learn to estimate the steepness of a hill,
it is necessary to know the contour interval
PROCEDURE
AND
ANALYSIS
A. EXAMINE CONTOUR MAPS A AND B IN FIGURE 11-1.
1. WHAT ARE THE LINES ON THE MAPS CALLED?
B. STUDY MAP A. THE ELEVATIONS FOR THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE HILL ARE GIVEN IN METERS.
2. WHAT IS THE CONTOUR INTERVAL OF MAP A?
3. FILL IN THE MISSING ELEVATION FOR THE REMAINING LINES.
C. EXAMINE MAP B. THE TWO CONTOUR LINE ELEVATIONS GIVEN REPRESENT METERS
4. WHAT NATURAL FORMATION OF FEATURE DOES THE MAP DEPICT?
5. HOW DO YOU KNOW?
6. FILL IN THE ELEVATIONS FOR THE REMAINING CONTOUR LINES ON MAP B. WHAT IS THE
CONTOUR INTERVAL OF MAP B?
D. EXAMINE THE CONTOUR LINES ON MAPS C, D, AND E IN FIGURE 11-2.
7. WHAT IS THE CONTOUR INTERVAL OF MAP C?
8. WHAT IS THE CONTOUR INTERVAL OF MAP D?
9. WHAT IS THE CONTORU INTERVAL OF MAP E?
10. TO INCLUDE GREATER DETAIL ON A CONTOUR MAP SHOULD YOU INCREASES OR DECREASE THE
CONTOUR INTERVAL?
E. STUDY THE MAPS IN FIGURE 11-2 AGAIN. NOTE THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THE LINES ARE DRAWN.
ALSO NOTE WHERE THE HIGHER AND LOWER ELEVATIONS ARE MARKEDON THE MAPS. USING THE
DIRECTIONAL GUIDE ADJOINING MAP E, ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.
11. IN WHAT DIRECTION DOES THE LAND SLOPE IN MAP C?
12. IN WHAT DIRECTION DOES THE LAND SLOPE IN MAP D?
13. IN WHAT DIRECTION DOES THE LAND SLOPE IN MAP E?
14. HOW DID YOU DETERMINE IN WHICH DIRECTION THE LAND SLOPED?
F. LOOK AT THE MAP PIN FIGURE 11-3. NOTICE THAT IS SHOWS AN INCOMPLETE CONTOUR MAP OF AN
ISLAND.
15. WHAT IS MISSING FROMTHIS CONTOUR MAP?
16. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW TO COMPLETE THE MAP?
G. THE NUMBERS NEXT TO THE XS ON THE MAP REPRESENTEXACT POINT OF ELEVATION. COMPLETE THIS
CONTOUR MAP USING A CONTORU INTERVAL OF 100 METERS. CURVE YOUR CONTOUR LINES BUT NOT
LET ANY OF THEM CROSS. TO JOIN SOME OF THE LINES, YOU MUST ESTIMATE POSITIONS.
17. WHAT DO YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE SPACING OF THE CONTOUR LINES?
18. WHICH SIDE OF THE ISLAND HAS THE STEEPEST SLOPE?
19. HOW DO YOU KNOW?
H. EXAMINE THE CONTOUR MAP IN FIGURE 11-4 ON THE NEXT PAGE.
20. WHAT IS THE CONTOUR INTERVAL OF THE MAP?
21. WHIT DIRECTION IS HILL B FROM HILL A?
22. IF YOU CAME UP THE RIVER BY BOAT TO POINT C, WHICH HILL MIGHT BE EASIER TO CLIMB?
23. EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER.
24. WHICH OF THE TWO HILLS IS HIGHER?
25. SHADE THE AREA IN FIGURE 11-4 THAT WOULD BE UNDER WATER IF THE SEA ROSE 40 M.
CONCLUSIONS
1. ASSUME YOU ARE GOING TO BUILD A SKI RESORT. EXPLAIN HOW A CONTOUR MAP COULD HELP
YOU DETERMINE WHERE TO BUILD.
2. REFERRING TO QUESTION 2, WHAT KIND OF MARKINGS WOULD YOU LOOK FOR ON A CONTOUR
MAP?
3. IF YOU EXAMINE THE CONTOUR MAPP FOR THE SKI AREA AND OBSERVED 15 CONTOUR LINES AT
50 M CONTOUR INTERVALS, ALMOST TOUCHING ONE ANOTHER. WHAT COULD YOU CONCLUDE
ABOUT THE AREA REPRESENTED ON THE MAP?