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Topographic Maps2

Topographic maps show elevation using contour lines, which connect points of equal height. Closer contour lines indicate steeper slopes, while lines farther apart show gentler slopes. Contour interval is the elevation change between consecutive lines. Index lines, which are thicker, appear every fifth line and are labeled with the elevation. Hills are circular contours and depressions use hachured lines with hash marks pointing down in elevation. Streams always flow downhill, with contour lines crossing at right angles. Maximum and minimum elevations of hills and depressions can be estimated by counting contour lines and adding or subtracting 1 from the highest or lowest line.

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Aravind Jk
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142 views

Topographic Maps2

Topographic maps show elevation using contour lines, which connect points of equal height. Closer contour lines indicate steeper slopes, while lines farther apart show gentler slopes. Contour interval is the elevation change between consecutive lines. Index lines, which are thicker, appear every fifth line and are labeled with the elevation. Hills are circular contours and depressions use hachured lines with hash marks pointing down in elevation. Streams always flow downhill, with contour lines crossing at right angles. Maximum and minimum elevations of hills and depressions can be estimated by counting contour lines and adding or subtracting 1 from the highest or lowest line.

Uploaded by

Aravind Jk
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Topographic Maps

Topographic Maps
A topographic map of part of Ithaca
Topographic Maps
• Maps of an elevation field
• Show elevation by contour lines
• Also show other natural and
man-made features by using
symbols
HOW TO READ
TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS
1. Contour lines – lines the connect points of
equal elevation
• Contour Lines close together – Steep slope
• Contour Lines far apart – Gentle slope
2. Contour Interval
 The contour interval on this map is 20?

What do you think is a contour interval?


Contour Interval
Change in elevation in between two
consecutive contour lines

Usually listed in key or legend


If you are at sea level, your elevation is 0.
The contour line for the coastline is 0.
3. Index Contour Line
• The Index Contour lines on the map below
are the 700 and 800 lines

Why do you think they are darker?


Index Contour Lines
• Every 4th or 5th line that is thicker or bolder
• Line is labeled with the elevation
• Helps to read the map
Index contour lines
are placed every 50
units on this map
 What is the spacing
of Index Contours on
this map?
 What is the contour
interval?
4. Hills

• How is a hill depicted on a topographic


map?
Hills
• Closed contours in a circle or elliptical
(oval) shape

• “Bulls eye”
5. Depressions
• The opposite of a hill is a depression
which is a low point in the ground. They
are represented by hachure lines.
Describe what a
hachure line looks
like.
Feathered line or
a line with hash marks
5. Hachured Lines

• Does the elevation go up or down when


you see the hachured lines? down
• The first depression line is going to the
same elevation as the closest contour
________
line
6. Benchmark - EXACT Elevation

Indicated by a BM or X on a
topographic map
• What is the exact elevation of the
benchmark on this map?

2919 feet
7. Streams always flow Downhill –
from higher elevation to lower
elevation

Can a stream flow


northward? Yes
N

What direction is this stream flowing?

South
N

Describe what the contour lines look


like when they are crossing a stream?

Contour lines point in the opposite


direction the stream is flowing!
Streams always
flow in the
opposite direction
the V or U is
pointing.
8. Maximum Elevation of a Hill
Steps to follow:
1. Count up the contour lines using the
contour interval.
2. Pretend that there is one more contour
line at the top of the hill (imaginary line).
3. Subtract 1
• How is the highest possible elevation?

Highest contour line = 40

Pretend one more so


that would be 50

Subtract 1

50 – 1 =

Maximum elevation of hill is 49


9. Minimum Elevation of a
Depression
Steps to follow:
1. Count down the contour lines using the
contour interval.
2. Pretend that there is one more contour
line at the bottom of the depression
(imaginary line).
3. add 1
Map Scales
• The relationship between distance as
measured on a map and the actual distance
on Earth’s surface
Types of Map Scales
a. Verbal Scale – 1 inch = 20 miles

b. Bar Scale

One Mile
Types of Map Scales
c. Ratio Scale -

One of any unit on this map represents


24,000 of the same unit on Earth’ s surface.

Ex, one inch would equal 24,000 inches on


the Earth
• Maps often give you more than one way to
measure distance

Represents parts of Represents one


one mile, ex: one tenth mile on the map
of a mile

One kilometer

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