Elevation contours are imaginary lines connecting points having the same elevation on the surface of the land above or below a reference surface, which is usually mean sea level Contours make it possible to show the height and shape of mountains, the depths of the ocean bottom, and the steepness of slopes
What does a contour line show on a map?
contour line, a line on a map representing an imaginary line on the land surface, all points of which are at the same elevation above a datum plane, usually mean sea level The diagram illustrates how contour lines show relief by joining points of equal elevation
What do contour intervals on a topographic map show?
Contour intervals reveal how much vertical distance there is between each contour line Closely spaced contour lines indicate very steep slopes Contour lines that are sharply tapered indicate an uphill direction Rounded contour lines typically indicate a downhill direction
What do contour lines on a topographic map show quizlet?
Contour lines are used to show elevation on a topographic map Lines or isolines on a map that connect points with the same elevationContour lines rules: Contour lines never cross All points on a contour line are at the same elevation The space between contour lines depends
For what purpose is contour lines used on a map?
Contours are imag- inary lines that join points of equal elevation on the surface of the land above or below a reference surface, such as mean sea level Contours make it possible to measure the height of mountains, depths of the ocean bottom, and steep- ness of slopes A topographic map shows more than contours
What is the use of contour lines?
Contour lines are lines drawn on a map with equal elevation points, so elevation would be constant if you followed the contour line physically The elevation and terrain shape of the contour lines shows It is useful because they show the form of the land surface on the map–its topography
How must contour lines bend on a topographic map to indicate a stream valley?
A contour line that bends to form a V shape indicates a valley The bend in the V points toward the higher end of the valley; this V points upstream, or in the direction from which the water flows, if there is a stream
How do you read elevation contour lines?
You can figure out the elevation of any point by finding the nearest labeled line, counting the number of lines above or below it, multiplying by the contour interval, and adding or subtracting the result from the nearest marked contour line The more closely spaced the contour lines, the steeper the slope
What does contour mean in drawing?
contour drawing, version of outline drawing, in which the artist, looking closely at the contour of an object, transfers it in one continuous line to paper without looking down to see what he is doing, except when he needs to place an internal feature such as an eye
What are contour lines quizlet?
Contour line a line on a map joining points of equal height above or below sea level
What do you know about contour lines?
A contour line is a line drawn on a topographic map to indicate ground elevation or depression A contour interval is the vertical distance or difference in elevation between contour lines Index contours are bold or thicker lines that appear at every fifth contour line Sharp contour points indicate pointed ridges
Does a contour map display elevation?
Topographic maps use contour lines to show different elevations on a map A contour line is a type of isoline; in this case, a line of equal elevation If you walk along a contour line you will not go uphill or downhill
How do you count contour lines on a map?
Maps generally count five contour lines from one index line to the next, including the next index line As with counting from one number to the next, like from five to 10, Start with the next line of the index line, Counting each contour line up to and including the next index line
Why do contour lines always point upstream?
Contour lines “point” upstream when they cross a river or stream The arrow below points to the direction the water flows, which is always downhill If you need help remembering, think of it this way: the contours at a stream or river are in a “V” or “U” shape
When reading a topographic map describe the contour lines when the slope of a land is gradual?
Contour intervals reveal how much vertical distance there is between each contour line—closely spaced contour lines indicate very steep slopes Contour lines that are sharply tapered indicate an uphill direction Rounded contour lines typically indicate a downhill direction (gradual slope)
What do widely spaced contour lines mean?
Widely spaced contour lines indicate gentle slopes or relatively flat areas
How are lines used to show contours of the figure or an object?
Contour line art is a method of drawing where you draw only the outline of an object, without any shading Some contour drawings will include outlines of important interior shapes (such as wrinkles in cloth or objects on a bookshelf), but contour drawings will never contain shading or minute details
What is contour line shading?
Shading is the part that makes a drawing go from a flat contour drawing to a 3 dimensional illusion With cross hatching you are drawing parallel lines, varying the direction of the lines and layering them to obtain different intensity of shading
What is contouring What are the characteristics and uses of contour lines?
Contouring in surveying is the determination of elevation of various points on the ground and fixing these points of same horizontal positions in the contour map
What is a contour interval on a topographic map quizlet?
The change in elevation from contour line to contour line is called the contour interval such as 1,600 or 2,000 feet
What does a topographic profile show?
Topographic maps are a detailed record of a land area, giving geographic positions and elevations for both natural and man-made features They show the shape of the land the mountains, valleys, and plains by means of brown contour lines (lines of equal elevation above sea level)
How do contour lines show steep and gentle slopes apex?
When contour lines are closer to each other, the slope is steep When contour lines are further apart from each other, the slope is gentle
How do contour lines work?
Contour lines connect points that share the same elevation: Where they’re close together (they never intersect), elevation is changing rapidly in short distance and the terrain is steep Where contour lines are wide apart, elevation is changing slowly, indicating a gentle slope