unit 7 lesson 4 topographic maps copyright © houghton mifflin harcourt publishing company

Unit 7 Lesson 4 Topographic Maps

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Where on Earth?


What are some ways to represent Earth’s surface?• Maps are models that represent Earth’s surface

and can show many different types of information.

• Aerial and satellite images can look like regular photographs or be enhanced to show information that would not be visible otherwise.

• Geologic maps show rock types and ages, as well as fault lines and elevations.


What are some ways to represent Earth’s surface?• A topographic map shows the shape of Earth’s

surface with lines that represent different elevations.

• Most lines on a topographic map are called contour lines, and they connect points of equal elevation.

• Contour lines form closed loops, almost never cross, and are spaced depending on the land’s steepness.



How do topographic maps show relief?

• Relief is the difference between the highest and lowest elevations in a particular area.

• A contour interval is the difference in elevation between two contour lines.

• An index contour is a thicker contour line that often has an elevation label.



How do topographic maps show locations of features?• Points, lines, and area symbols are used to

represent features on topographic maps.

• Points mark locations, such as mountain peaks and buildings.

• Lines may represent features such as rivers, trails, roads, and boundaries.

• Colored or textured areas are typically used to represent different types of land cover.



How can you identify land features on topographic maps?• Certain patterns of contour lines can help you

identify different types of land features.

• Contour lines with a V shape may represent valleys or ridges.

• Closed circles may represent hills or depressions.

• Contour lines stacked very close together represent a steep land feature.



How can you measure Earth’s surface using a topographic map?• A map scale shows the relationship between the

sizes and distances shown on the map and the actual measurements on Earth’s surface.

• Slope measures steepness from one point to another.

• For slope in a topographic map, the rise is the change in elevation, and the run is the horizontal distance between two points.



unit 7 lesson 4 topographic maps copyright © houghton mifflin harcourt publishing company

Documents

geologic maps

fault lines

index contour

contour interval

shape of earths surface

thicker contour line

different elevations

map scale