This tool will allow students to create a straight-line elevation profile from a topographic map. The student will view the topographic map contour lines in a two dimensional perspective. The two dimensional view presents a visual perspective of seeing the land from the side that may make it easier for students to see the relationship between topography and geology.
How can you tell a hill from a valley on a topographic map?
Is it possible for contour lines to cross? Explain
What conclusion could you draw about the slope of a profile if the contour lines are close together on the topographic map?
Perspective - The goal of this tool is to direct a student to view a flat topographic map in a different two dimensional perspective by creating a straight-line elevation profile.
Topo maps or Digital Atlas of Oklahoma
Contour lines provide the data for the graph.Topo maps can be obtained from Oklahoma Geologic Survey Go to the OGS website for information. http://www.ou.edu/special/ogs-pttc/
A.Select the region on the map that you want to create an elevation profile.B. Mark the starting point of the region and ending point of the region to be graphed with a color marker.C. Draw a straight line connecting the two marks.
A profile grid will be constructed specifically for each region to be mapped. 1. Where the contour lines intersect perdendicularly with the marked line, record those elevations in feet. 2. Record the range in elevation, in order from lowest to highest elevation. These observations will become the data with which you will construct the vertical axis of the profile grid.3. Measure with a metric ruler the length of the line between the starting and ending points. Use the map scale and convert the distance into feet.4. At every place where the contour line intersects with marked line, calculate the distance and convert it to feet. This will become the data with which you will construct the horizontal axis of the profile grid. The marked starting point will be recorded as 0 feet on the horizontal axis.(NOTE) The interval used for numbering system for the horizontal axis(distance) and vertical axis(elevation) should be selected with care to give you the best representation of the data. (If the data is given in a range of 10,000 ft, a 10 ft. interval numbering system would not be appropiate for labeling your graph grid.)
1. At every place where a contour line intersects or touches the marked line on the map, find the proper distance on your profile grid (horizontal axis) and go "up" from the bottom of your graph and place a dot at the proper elevation.2. Connect the dots that have been plotted on the graph and the elevation profile is complete.
Slope percent can be determined between each contour interval on the map.A right triangle can be used to show the slope between the contour intervals. The opposite side of the triangle would represent the change in elevation. The adjacent side would represent the distance between the contours.Ascending elevations will have a positive slope value. Descending elevations will have a negative sloope value.Slope Percent= (vertical distance divided by the horizontal distance) X 100.
This is a tool . Topographic maps or Digital Atlas of Oklahoma are needed to use this tool.
Duration: one 50 minute class period
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