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Mapping

A map is a representation of Earth or other celestial bodies showing features like elevation. Maps use contour lines to indicate elevation and relief. Contour lines connect points of equal height above sea level. Index contours appear every fifth line and are thicker with labels. Closer contour lines indicate steeper slopes. A topographic map also shows streams, hills, depressions, benchmarks, and other landscape features. Colors represent different map elements. The map scale relates distances on the map to actual ground distances. A topographic profile shows a cross-sectional side view of a map area.

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arjun
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35 views

Mapping

A map is a representation of Earth or other celestial bodies showing features like elevation. Maps use contour lines to indicate elevation and relief. Contour lines connect points of equal height above sea level. Index contours appear every fifth line and are thicker with labels. Closer contour lines indicate steeper slopes. A topographic map also shows streams, hills, depressions, benchmarks, and other landscape features. Colors represent different map elements. The map scale relates distances on the map to actual ground distances. A topographic profile shows a cross-sectional side view of a map area.

Uploaded by

arjun
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mapping

What is a map?
 It is a representation
of something (Earth,
stars, solar system, a
building, etc…
Uses of Maps
 To determine where you are going.
 To act as a model of Earth’s surface.
 Used to locate various places
 To show the distribution of various
features or types of materials.
Quick Review of Latitude and
 Latitude
Longitude
– Measured in degrees North and South of the
Equator.
– Lines drawn parallel to each other running
west to east.
Quick Review of Latitude and
 Longitude
Longitude
– Measured in degrees East or
West of the prime meridian.
– Lines drawn running North and
South.
Topography
 The lay of the land.
 Shows relief using contour lines.
– Relief- highs and lows of Earth’s surface.
– Relief can be calculated
 Take the difference between the highest point and
the lowest.
 Ex: Mountain peak 20 m. lake 10m
– 20m- 10m= 10m
– The relief of this area is 10m
Reading a topographic map-
Contour Lines
 Lines on topographic maps.
 Connect points of equal elevation.
– Everything connected to that line has the
same elevation.
– Elevation- the distance something is above
sea level. Sea level= 0m or 0ft.
Reading a topographic map-
Contour Intervals
 Contour interval- gives the difference in
elevation between 2 contour lines.
– Another indicator of height.
– Shown on maps as C.I.= 10ft.
– Used to count contour lines.

How it will look on a map

C.I.= 1000ft
Reading a topographic map- Index
Contours
 A index contour is a contour line that is
accentuated in thickness and is labeled with the
appropriate measure of elevation.
 Index contours occur every fifth contour line.
 Help the map user read elevations on a map.

Red arrows indicate location


of index contours.
Reading a topographic map-
Streams
 The direction a streams is flowing
is shown on a topographic map by
the way a contour line crosses the
stream.
 Streams are shown as a blue line
on maps.
 When contour lines cross a stream
it looks like an upside down V.
 The point in the V points
upstream. It opens in the
direction the water is
flowing.
Reading a topographic map-
Depression Contours
 Depression contours
show areas of lower
elevation.
 Drawn like contour lines
with marks on the
inside.
 Hachure marks- tick
marks on inside of
closed circle.
Reading a topographic map- Hills
 Hills are represented on a topographic map by a
series of concentric contour lines in a rough
circle
Reading a topographic map- Slope
 Closely spaced contour lines represent steep
slopes.
 Widely spaced contour lines represent gentle
slopes.
Reading a topographic map-
Benchmarks
 A benchmark is a place where exact
elevation is known.
– Shown by a B.M. on map
– Ex: BM 60
Reading a topographic map- Colors
 The colors on a topographic map are symbolic of
different map features.
– Blue = water
– Green = forest
– Brown = contour lines
– Black = cultural features (buildings, place names,
boundary lines, roads, etc.)
– Red = principal roads
– Pink = urban areas
– Purple = revisions to an older map, compiled from
aerial photos. If an area has become urbanized, this
may be shown as purple shading on the new, revised
map.
Reading a topographic map- Map
Scale
 Map scale indicates your distance
along the ground, or the amount
of ground covered by the map.
 USGS- United States Geologic
Survey
– Ratio- 1:24000
– one unit on the map is equal to
24,000 units of the same size on the
ground.
 Ex:1 inch on the map = 24000 inches on
Earth.
– Or after converting 1 inch = 2000ft.
 Bar scale-indicated by a line or bar
with distances marked in miles,
feet, or kilometers.
Reading a topographic map- Map
Scale
Reading a topographic map-
Profiles
 A topographic profile is a cross-sectional view
along a line drawn through a portion of a
topographic map. 
– It is like taking a slice out of a portion of the
Earth and looking at it from the side.
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