Topographic Maps
Essential Questions
How can a topographic map be used to
describe the landscape?
What are the rules of contour Maps?
Topographic Map-A map that
shows the surface features of
Earth
Shows the elevation of a specific
area
Elevation- Height of an object
above sea level
Features of a Topographic Map
Natural Features
–Rivers, lakes
–Mountains
Artificial (man made) features
–Cities
–Roads, bridges
Parts of a Topographic Map
Contour Lines-A line that
connects points of equal
elevation
• Used to show features of the
land
• Mountains, valleys, etc
Contour Lines
• Spacing of lines depends on
slope characteristics
• Close contour lines = steeper
slope
• Farther apart contour lines =
gentle slope
Contour Interval
• Contour Interval-The difference in
elevation between one contour
line and the next
• Relief- The difference between
the highest and lowest points in
an area
Index Contour-A darker, bolder
contour line that indicates a
change in elevation
• Usually found every fifth
contour line
Reading Topographic Maps
Features on Earth’s surface
can be represented by colors
–Blue = Water
–Brown /black = contour lines
–Green = wooded areas
Golden Rules of Topographic
Maps
• Contour lines never cross, all
points on a line represent one
elevation
• Spacing of contour lines depends
on steepness of slope
• Close = steep slope
• Far apart = gentle slope
• Contour lines that cross a valley
or stream are V-shaped
• The V points towards the area of
highest elevation
• Tops of mountains or hills are
shown by closed circles
• Depressions have hash marks
pointing towards the center
Contour lines that form a closed circle
represent a hill
Where one closed contour line surrounds
another, the inner contour line represents
the higher elevation.
The elevation represented by a contour
line is always a simple multiple of the
contour interval.
Question 1
How do topographic
maps represent Earth’s
surface?
Answer
They show the elevation
of Earth’s surface
Question 2
How does the relief of an
area determine the
contour interval used on
a map?
Answer
The smaller the relief,
the smaller the contour
interval. The larger the
relief, the larger the
contour interval.
Question 3
List two rules of contour
lines.
Answer
Contour lines never cross, all points on a line
represent one elevation
Spacing of contour lines depends on steepness of
slope
– Close = steep slope
– Far apart = gentle slope
Contour lines that cross a valley or stream are Vshaped
– The V points towards the area of highest
elevation
Tops of mountains or hills are shown by closed
circles
Depressions have hash marks pointing towards
the center