V-shaped contour lines indicate
valleys, ravines, or gullies
. Closely-spaced contour lines depict steep slopes. More widely- spaced contour lines indicate gradual slopes.
What do arched contour lines represent?
Contour intervals reveal how much vertical distance there is between each contour line—closely spaced contour lines indicate
very steep slopes
. Contour lines that are sharply tapered indicate an uphill direction. Rounded contour lines typically indicate a downhill direction (gradual slope).
What is the rule of V’s?
The Rule of V’s is a
visual, qualitative method to determine dip direction by examining the map pattern of the contact between two dipping units as it crosses a stream or a valley
.
What are the 5 Rules of contour lines?
Rule 1 – every point of a contour line has the same elevation. Rule 2 – contour lines separate uphill from downhill. Rule 3 – contour lines do not touch or cross each other except at a cliff. Rule 4 –
every 5th contour line is darker in color
.
What is causing the V shape in the topographic layers?
As a rule of thumb, the V-shaped contour is pointing upstream (the opposite direction from the flow of a stream or river). The “V” shape contours
indicate streams and drainage
. As you can see, the “V” points uphill to a higher elevation.
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
.
Why are contour lines useful?
Contour lines are very important in teaching natural sciences because they
represent relief in an accurate way
. Relief is controlled by rock type and geological structures. These two factors influence in the location and shape of rivers, which in terms, help the development of soils and vegetation.
What is the space between contour lines called?
A contour interval
is the vertical distance or difference in elevation between contour lines. Index contours are bold or thicker lines that appear at every fifth contour line.
What are the properties of contour lines?
- Must close on themselves, on or off the map.
- Perpendicular to the direction of max. …
- Slope between them is assumed uniform.
- The distance between them indicates the steepness of the slope, gentle or steep.
- Irregular signify rough, smooth signify gradual slopes.
How do you describe contour lines?
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. The diagram illustrates how contour lines show relief by
joining points of equal elevation
.
Why do contour lines bend upstream?
Why do V-shaped contour lines along a river point upstream? Water moves from areas of higher elevation to areas of lower elevation.
Because the V shape points toward higher elevation
, it points upstream.
What is a depression contour line?
A closed contour,
inside of which the ground or geologic structure is at a lower elevation than that outside
, and distinguished on a map from other contour lines by hachures marked on the downslope or downdip side.
What is a contour line how are areas of depression represented on a topographic map?
On a gradual slope, the contour lines are far apart. Contour lines that show a depression, crater, or sinkhole on a map are represented by
dashed lines (hachure marks) on the inside of a contour line
. The elevation of the first depression contour is the same as the nearest regular contour line.
What are 4 types of contour lines?
- Isopleth. Isopleth on a contour map connects the places having the same value of some measurable quantity of geographical or meteorological phenomena. …
- Isohyet. …
- Isobar. …
- Isobath. …
- Isohaline. …
- Isotherm. …
- Isohel. …
- Isohume.
Does Google Earth show contour lines?
This KML network link displays a map overlay for USGS Contours (http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/) in Google Earth. To get started, simply download usgs-contours-overlay-for-google-earth. Or checkout all 4 USGS The National Map map overlays on this site. …
