Topographic Map

MS 217 Dennis Borzakov Class 723 January 15, 2013 Problem HOW IS A TOPOGRAPHIC MAP MADE Hypothesis I think that to make a topographic map you have to see the form of the object from up top. To do this you need a satellite image. These images are called aerial photographs. Using elevation calculators and ground measures cartographers then make topographic maps. Materials • Clay model landform • Water tinted with food coloring • Transparency • Clear plastic storage box with lid • Beaker • Metric ruler • Tape • Transparency marker Procedure 1.
Using the ruler and the transparency marker, make marks up the side of the storage box one centimeter apart. 2. Place the clay model into the storage box. The bottom of the box will be zero elevation. 3. Secure the transparency to the top of the storage box with tape. 4. Using the beaker, pour water into the box to a height of one cm. 5. Use the transparency marker to trace the top of the water line on the transparency. 6. Using the scale 1cm=10m, mark the elevation on the line. 7. Remove the transparency and add water until a depth of 2cm is reached. 8. Map this level on the transparency and record the elevation. . Repeat the process of adding water and tracing until you have the hill mapped on the transparency. 10. Transfer the tracing of the hill onto a white sheet of paper. 11. Use the ruler to transfer the hill from the white sheet of paper to graph paper. Analysis The counter interval of this topographic map is 1cm is equal to 10 m. The distance between contour lines on the map show steepness of a slope on the landform model because the closer the lines are the steeper the hill is, the farther apart the lines are the more the gentle the rising of the hill will be.
The elevation of Hill A is 80 meters and the elevation of Hill B is 90 meters. Elevation was presented on the map by the number of counter lines. The one with the most counter lines is the taller one. Conclusion In this experiment we took on the job of a cartographer. We graphed clay model hills to express elevation. We traced images of the forms from the transparency to the white sheet of paper to express the difference in counter lines.