What are touch lines on a map?

What are touch lines on a map?

Ever noticed those squiggly lines all over your hiking map? Other than the obvious trails and rivers, these squiggly lines are contour lines. Put simply, contour lines mark points of equal elevation on a map. If you trace the length of a line with your finger, each point you touch is the same height above sea level.

What does it mean when two contour lines appear to touch?

Contour lines that are close together indicate a steep slope, where the elevation changes quickly over a short distance. If the contour lines are so close together that they seem to touch, they indicate a very steep slope, such as a cliff. In contrast, contour lines that are far apart indicate a gentle slope.

What is the system of lines across a topographic map called?

contour lines
Understanding Contours Elevation is usually shown using contour lines. In simplistic terms a contour line is a line which joins points of equal elevation. Where these lines are above sea level they are simply called contour lines and where they are below sea level they are called bathymetric contour lines.

What do the lines on the topographical map above show you?

Contour lines connect a series of points of equal elevation and are used to illustrate relief on a map. They show the height of ground above mean sea level (MSL) either in metres or feet, and can be drawn at any desired interval.

What is the function of lines on the map?

Points and lines on a map define not only where you are, but also when you’re there. Navigators still rely on these imaginary lines to get where they are going.

When contour lines are close together on a topographic map that tells the reader that?

You can usually find the contour interval on the map legend or by subtracting the lowest elevation from the highest and dividing the total by the number of contour lines between the two elevations. When contour lines are close together on a map, it shows a steeper slope of the terrain.

What does it mean when contour lines are close together on a topographic map?

slope
Contour lines that are relatively close together indicate a slope that is fairly steep. Contour lines that are further apart indicates a slope that is relatively flat. The area of the map above boxed in orange shows an area that has a fairly steep slope, while the area boxed in purple is a relatively flat area.

What are form lines in topography?

: a line drawn on a map to depict surface configuration in a generalized manner and usually without indicating elevations — compare contour line.

What are the 3 types of contour lines?

Contour lines are of three different kinds. They are the Index lines, Intermediate lines and the Supplementary lines.

What are contour lines answer?

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. Numbers on the lines give the height in feet. (Sea level is zero.) Lines drawn closely together indicate that a slope is steep.

What are the 10 symbols on a topographic map?

Topographic Map Legend and Symbols

• Brown lines – contours (note that intervals vary)
• Black lines – roads, railroads, trails, and boundaries.
• Red lines – survey lines (township, range, and section lines)
• Blue areas – streams and solid is for larger bodies of water.
• Green areas – vegetation, typically trees or dense foliage.