Broward College ESC 1000L TopographicMap_Lab10 (15) ready.
Lab 10: Topographic Mapping / Contouring Lab
Author: Bill Opperman (Broward
... [Show More] College)
OBJECTIVE: To understand how the use of contours is employed in the study of topographic
mapping.
MAIN CONCEPT: Topographic maps are incredibly important to the geologist. Further,
knowing how to read a topographic map is imperative for anyone navigating on foot and off paved
roads. Topography, or the shape of the land, is represented on topographic maps through the use of
contours. A contour line is an imaginary line that connects lines of equal or constant elevation and
thus express topography. This exercise is designed to understand contour lines, contouring, profile
mapping and their relationship with actual landforms.
Contour lines display a region’s relief. Relief refers to the difference between the highest and lowest
points of a region. It can be calculated by subtracting an area’s lowest from its highest elevation.
Important rules regarding contour lines
1. Every point on a contour line is of the exact same elevation. This means that if you were walking
along a contour line, you would not be going up or down hill, but staying at the same elevation. 2.
A contour lines are closed and therefore rejoins itself to form a loop. Often when viewing a
topographic map, you cannot see the competed loops as they continue beyond the boundaries into
adjacent maps.
3. Contour lines never split.
4. Contour lines do not cross each other because that would suggest there are two different
elevations at the same place.
5. Steepness of an area is given by the spacing of contour lines:
a. Closely spaced contour lines represent a steep slope
b. Widely spaced lines represent a gentle slope
6. Hills are represented by concentric circles (closed circles)
7. Depressions are represented by closed contours with hachures on the downhill side of the contour
lines.
8. Contour lines form a “V” pattern, always pointing upstream, as they cross streams or stream beds.
Topographic Maps – Location and Distance
Name ALICIA SAUCEDO | Date 04/02/2022
Reading Latitude and Longitude2Use the globe to answer the following questions:
1. How many degrees separate each line of latitude and longitude shown on the globe?
a. Latitude 180 ° b. Longitude 180 °
2. Name two countries that each of the following lines run through:
a. Equator Brazil, Gabon
b. 30˚ N Algeria, Jordan
c. 23 ½ ˚S Botswana, South Africa
d. 60˚ S Rusia, Finland
e. Prime Meridian France, Mali
f. 100˚ W USA, Canada
3. Give the latitude and longitude of the following locations (in degrees only):
a. Barrow, Alaska 71.2906 ° N, 1567886 ° W
b. Bangkok, Thailand 137563 ° N, 100.5018 ° E
c. Sydney, Australia 33.8688 ° S, 151.2093 ° E
d. Santa Maria, Brazil 29.6876 ° S, 53.8129 ° W
Use the topographic map of Paxton Springs, NM to answer the following questions:
4. What are the latitudes of the northern and southern boundaries of the map?
a. Northern 35 ° 07’30” N b. Southern 35 ° 00’ S
5. What is the distance in minutes and seconds from the northern to the southern boundary of this map?
07 ' 30
6. What are the longitudes of the eastern and western boundaries of the map?
a. Eastern 108 ° 00’E b. Western 108 ° 07’30” W
2 Remember to always include degree, minute, and second symbols as well as direction: N or S (for latitude) and E or W (for
longitude)
7. What is the distance in minutes, and seconds from the eastern to the western boundary of this map?
07’30”
8. Give the latitude and longitude of the following locations as specifically as possible:
a. Quartz Hill 35.0745 ° N, 108.037 ° W
b. the benchmark (BM) in Paxton Springs 35 ° 2’30” N, 108 ° 7’ W
c. Oso Ridge lookout tower 35.0380944 ° N, 108.1164519 ° W
d. the mine shaft just west of Quartz Hill 35 ° 5’ N, 108 ° 2’30” W
Distance
9. What is the distance from the BM in Paxton Springs to the Oso Ridge lookout tower beacon (in feet and
to the nearest 1/10th mile)?
a. 14784 feet b. 2.8 miles
10. What is the distance from the cinder pit in section 36 to the windmill in section 31 in feet and miles?
a. 5280 feet b. 1 mile
11. Give the approximate number of square miles covered by this map (remember Area = length x width)
61.06 Square miles
Reading a Map – Symbols and Scales
12. What is the RF scale of this map? 1:24,000
13. What is the size of this map (quadrangle)? 7.5’ quadrangle map
14. Name the adjacent quadrangles of this map:
a. Mt. Sedgwick (to the north) b. Mt. El Morro (to the southwest)
15. In what general part of New Mexico is this map located? Paxton Springs
16. Look at the various colors used on the map. These are standard colors set aside for specific use on all
USGS topographic maps. What colors correspond with the following features on your map?
a. contour lines Brown
b. water bodies Blue [Show Less]