Topography Flashcards
What is elevation?
Elevation is the height above sea level.
What is topography?
Topography is the shape of the land; an area’s topography can be flat, sloping, hilly or mountainous. The topography of an area includes the area’s elevation, relief, and landforms.
What is relief.
Relief is the difference between the highest and lowest ports of an area.
What is a landform?
Landform is the feature formed by the process that shape Earth’s surface. The 3 types of landforms are plains, mountains, and plateaus.
What is a plain?
A plain is made up of flat or gently rolling land. A plain has low relief, but it’s elevation can vary.
What is a mountain?
A mountain is a landform which usually occurs as a part of a mountain range, or a group of mountains that are closely related in shape, structure, or age. A mountain has high elevation and high relief.
What is a plateau?
A plateau is a landform that has level surface, that is smooth on the top. Streams and rivers may cut into plateaus. A plateau has high elevation and low relief.
What is a mountain range?
A mountain range is a group of mountains that are related in shape, structure, or age. A mountain range has elevation and relief.
What is a landform region?
A landform region is a region in which particular physical features are dominant. A landform region has elevation and relief.
What is a topographic map?
A topographic map is a map showing the surface features of an area. Topographic maps use symbols to portray the land as if you were looking at it from above.
What is a contour line?
A contour line connects points of equal elevation on a topographic map.
What is a contour interval?
A contour interval is a change in elevation from a contour line to another contour line. The contour for a given map is always the same.
What are index contours.
Index contours are are labeled with the elevation in round units such as 1,600 or 2,000 feet above sea level. Usually, every 5th contour line, known as an index contour, is darker and heavier than the others.
