1. Measuring Earth: Topographic Maps
Notes: Pages 3 - 9
©Mark Place,

2. What is the purpose?

3. Who uses topographic maps?
the military
miners
police
farmers

4. When might someone
use a topographic
map?
building homes
plan a hiking trip
landscaping
road building

5. Contour Interval? 25

6. Contour
Interval? 20
Elevation of "A"?
540
Elevation of "B"?
580

7. 619

8. What do hachured
lines show?
areas of
depression

9. concerning hachured lines?
What are the rules
concerning hachured lines?
first hachured
line has same
elevation as previous
contour line

10. top of the page, what direction
If north is at the
top of the page, what direction
is this river flowing?
south

11. Can a river flow north?
yes!

12. Name two ways that you can
determine which
way a river flows
on a topographic map.
contour lines point
upstream
rivers flow
downhill

13. What are the steps to draw a topographic profile
place a piece of paper between the points
mark where every contour line
touches the edge of the paper
determine the elevation of each mark
place the paper on the graph and mark the
elevation of each contour line

14. Using the map and chart below, construct a topographic map profile.

15. Please match the contour map on the left with the profile on the right.

16. Topographic Maps---Distance Between Points
What is the distance, in kilometers, from Kingston to Oswego?
266 km
What is the distance, in miles, from Plattsburgh to Jamestown?
342 miles

17. gradient = change in elevation distance
The elevation of Albany is 282 feet.
The elevation at Binghamton is 1634 feet.
What is the gradient in feet/mile? Show all work.
gradient = change in elevation
distance =
115 miles
= 1352 ft
115 miles
= 11.8 ft/mile

18. gradient = change in elevation distance
The elevation of Watertown is 99m.
The elevation at Oswego is 144m.
What is the gradient in m/km? Show all work.
gradient = change in elevation
distance =
75 km
= 45 m
75 km
= 0.6 m/km

19. gradient = change in temperature distance
If the distance between
the two
circled cities is
425 km,
what is the temperature
gradient?
Show all work.
gradient = change in temperature
distance
= 82-48
425
= 34
425
= °F/km