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EARTH SCIENCE
For K12 STEM Students
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TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS
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DR. AHMED ABDEL SALAM

Prot of Earth Science
 Topograpbic cMaps

Maps
PURPOSE OF MAPS:
A map is desiqned for the purpose of permitting you to
Visualize a portion of the earth's surface with pertinent
Featurcs
propeny positioned to facilitate plannng and organizing
operations
DAFerent types of maps a r e used for dil-Ferent
prposes
Orne map with al the details of several types of maps wauld be
so cutered that it would make readng and interpretation
dfPicut
Map Debinition
A map is a representation of all or part of the Earth drawn on
a Hlat surFace at a specific scale. Maps use a variety of
symbols and colors to represent selected features of an arca
Maps were devised because they are much easier to use, store
ard ransport than globes and they facilitated the development
of much larger sealed representations than was he case with a
globe
A map s a graphic representation of a portion of the carh's
surface drawn to scale, as seen fram above. t uses colors,
symbols, and labels to represent features found on the around
Haze The idal representation would be realized if every Feature of
he area
being mapped could be shown in true shape.
CLASSIECATION OEE MAPS
The maps discussed in this text are maps used to depict the
eatures of maps Fall
an arca These into three
categories
Planimetric Maps
Show the positions of Features without
showing thetr relationship
to the hils and valleys of the land They can inclde rivers, lakes
roads, boundaries, or other human-made, symbolic features For
CKanaple:
a Common road maps Road atas and strect maps
b specilic area maps Preplan maps Hoor plan maps and storm
drain sewer and water
system maps

Dr. Ahmed Abdel Salam Ol000763T73

Prof of Earth Science
 Topograpbic Maps
a Schematic maps Agency maps: unit aviation resource

district response maps

2. Topographic Maps
Shows both the horizontal and vertical (relie P) positionsf
ofi m
features.
a Contour maps -

are the most common method of

of the land. AcontaurE
represeting the shape and elevation
the qround hat delreates the
is a line of equal elevation on
rekerence
same clevation above or belowa speciHc
clevation usualy sea level
b. Shadedrelict maps are pictorial They are shaded to
simulate sunliaht on the terrain. This shadow effect
accentuates the shape of the physica catures
3. Orthophoto MapS:
other Features
An orthophoto map is a map depictinq terrain and
by color enhonced photographic images. His an ocrial photograph

o the land
01
Topographic Maps 1 0

What is a topoaraphic map?

A tapographic map is a detailed and accurate ilkstration
mode arad natural features on the qrand such as roads, railways
elevations rivers lakes and
power transmission lines contours
ge0graphical names
H a

The topographic map is a two-dmensional representation of the

Earth's three-dimensional landscape.

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Dr. Ahmed Abdel Salarn OI000T63773

Prof of Earth Scienee
 Topograpbic cMaps
What information is on a topographic map?
Topographic maps identify numerous around Features, which can
be grouped into the Following categories
Relich mauntains, valeys slopes, depressions as deFned by
contours
Hycrography: lakes, rivers, streams, swamps, rapids, Fals.
Vegetation wooded areas.
Transportation: roads, trails, raiways, bridges,
airports/airfield seaplane anchrages.
Cuture: buildings, urban development power ransmission line,
Pipelines, towers.
e Baundaries: international provincial/territorial, administrative,
recreational, geographical.
Topomymy: place names water feature names landform
names, boundary names.
Contour Lines
A contour line: is an isoline on a map on
hen ar
chart conrecting al points of the same contour lines show
a gentler slope.

elevation Any poit on a contour line s

he same elevation as all the other ponts When dose together,
ontour lines show

on the same line in other words contour

conaGer slope
a steep

Iires c o e c t ponts ot equal elevation Spot elevations aremac

heights between contour lines
Contour interval is he difference in and are shovm as.i8.

D-

a elevation between two adjacent contaur MSL

lirves
Note that
Every Pth brown contour lines are drawn bold and has the
appropriate elevation labeled on H. These contaurs are called in
Contours
Topographic Profilcs
A topographic_protile: is a twodimensional diagram that descrbes
the landscape in vertical cross-Section Topographic profiles are
often ereated from the contour information found on
topographic maps

Dr. Ahmed Albdel Salam OI000763773

Prof of Earth Seience
 Topograpbic Maps
The y-axis is used to represent the vertical dimension and
measures the change in elevation along the transect
Most people exaggerate the measure of elevation on the y-axis
to make changes in relief stand out.
Place the beginning of the transect os copied on the piece of
paper at the intersect of the x ond y-axis on the araph paper.
T h e contour infFormation on the paper's edae copied
is now
onto the piece of
qraph paper. Fiqure shows topoaraphic
a

profle crawn fram the nformation faund on the transect A

B albove

The
ollowing topographic profie shows the vertical change in
surFace elevation along the transect AB:

3000
Elevation
Feet
Above
Sea
2500
2000
Level 1500

1000
01011
0101
500

Haze
What are contour lines?

Contour lines connect a series of points of cqual eevation and are

used to ilustrate relief on a map
They show the height of ground dbove mean sea level (MsL)
either in meters or feet, and can be drawn at any desired
interval
For example, numerous contour lines that are close to one
another indcate hily or mountainous terrair, when further
apart they indicate a genter slope; and when Far apart they
indicate flat terrain

Dr. Ahmed Abdel Salam OI00073773

Prof of Earth Science
 STopograpbic Maps
CHARACTERISTICS OF CONTOuURS
The principal characteristics of contour lines which
hclp in plotting
or
reading a contour map a r e as
folows
Contour ines must close, not necessarily in the limits of the
plan
2. The horizontal distance between any two contour lines
indicates the amount of slope and vares inversely on the
amount of slope.
3
Widely spaced contour indicates Aat surface
WHAT YOU SEE
ON YOUR MAP
1440

1 6

1840
1840
1760
SIDE VIEWN 1760
1680 OF LANDMARK 1680
1600 1600
1520 1520
1440
1440

STEEP SLOPE GENTLE SLOPE

4. Closey spaced contour indicates steep slope qround

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Centoura of Terrein heving dinerend bypes o s l p

5. Equally spaced contour indicates uniform slope

Uniform siope
errain

Contours of Tervein having diferend typee of elope

Dr. Ahmed Abdel Salam Ol0007 3773

Prof of Earth Science
 Topograpbic Maps

Irrequar contours indicate uneven surface

7. Approximately concentric closed contours with decreasing
values towards center indicate a pond
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161
Pond and its contour

Approximately concentric closed contaurswith inereosn9

values towards center indicate hils

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HIW and its contour

9 Contour lines with u-shape with convexity towards lower

ground indicate ridge.
0 Contour lines with V-shaped with convexity towards higher
ground indicate valley.

-Valley line
100 100 99
Ridge line

Dr. Ahmed Abdel Salam OIOOOTGIT73

Prof of Earth Science
 Topograpbic Maps
Contour lines qenerally do not meet or intersect each

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other. If contour lines are meeting in some portion, it shows
existence of a vertical cliff

l Hal

-4D0
-350

200

Vertical cli and Its contours

2. Contaurs of ifferent clevations cannot cross cach other

If contour lines cross each other, it shows existence o

HazemMoha overhanging clits or a cave.

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250

200 A6D
100
Overhanging cliff and its contour

13 The steepest slope of terrain at any point on a contour is

represented along the normal of the contour at that point
14. Contours do not pass-through permonent structures such
as buildings

103

Pemanent Structure

Contours across permanent structure

Dr. Ahmed Abdel Salam O0O0TG3773

Prof of Earh Science
 Topograpbic Maps
Other characteristics of contour lines are:
Horizontal distance between contour lines is inversely
proportional to slope.
Unifom slopes have unikormly spacedlines.
Along plane surfaces, contour lines are straioht and paralel
Contaur lines are
perpendicular to lines of steepest slopes
For summits or depressions, contour lines most close upon
themselves
A singie contour ine cannot lie between twolines of higher or
lower clevation
There are some basic rules for contour lines:
LA contour line must never split or divide
2. A contour line must never simply end except at the cdae of the

map.
3. A contour line must represent one and only one elevation
4. A contour line may never intersect other contour lines.
Overhanging clifs are the only exception
5. Concentric circles of contour ines indicate a hilltop or mauntain
peak
6. Concetric circles of hatched contour lines indicate a closed

depression
Haze
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LandForms vs. Topograpgy

da
BETIAN ISLANDS WLDRNESS
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A topographic map of Chuginodak lsland

Dr. Ahmed Abdel alam OIOO0T3773

Prof of Earth Science
 Topographic Maps
Mount Cleveland forms the western half of the island
According to the oral history of the Aleut people, this was once
two slands. Debris from a Cleveland eruption formed the isthmus
between the two halves of the island
A

Summit area
B Elevationshape descriptors 6.0 Summit area
Height- Ellipticity index (e
- Irregularity index (i)

Slopes ,ei (x10)

Volume 55.0
-ix1o/ Slope
.5 ---
Edifice outline Lowest closed
Best-f -fit contour

Haze Area, width Surface 4.0

10 15 20 25 30

WHAT YOU SEE

ON YOUR MAP
1440 44U

3-D VIEW
OF LANDMARK

Dr. Ahmed Abdel Salam O00073773

Prof of Earth Science
1OTopograpbic cMaps
Green River Topographic Map Activity
Oveen Riv6 Topogrpiie Mep Aetvily
3. Which mountain i mite

has an old
volcanic crater at
its top?

Fire SaddleP a

Mountain: Mountan

it is shown
by Gen RV

Depression
Contours.
4

MORTH

Map clements: e
7761
North arrows am
Scale bars A
Scale text
Legends
Frames
Converting map elements to graphics
What is scale?
Maps are made to scale. In each case, the scale represents the
ratio of a distance on the map to the actual distance on the
H a
qraund A standard Canadion topographic map is produced at
50 000, where 2 cm on the map represents I km on the ground

MAP DISTANCE 2 cm 2 cm
GROUND DISTANCE 1km 100000cm 50 000
SCALE- 1:50 000

Medum-scale maps (ea, 50 000) cover smaller areas in greater

detail whereas smal-scale maps (e.g 125o 000) cover large areas
in less detail. A 1250 000 scale national topographic system (NTS)
map covers the same area as sixteen 50 o00 scale NTS maps
kllometre
kliometre
miles
milles

Dr. Ahmed Abdel Salam OI000763T73

Prof of Earth Scienee