Building Topographic Maps Creating 3D Maps with Wa
Explore how water levels help build topographic maps by tracing contour lines that show elevation changes, revealing land features like Lake Mead’s bathtub ring and how elevation affects landscape shape.
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M2L4: Building Topographic Maps
Name Seanna Serflaten Date: 6/14/23
Vocabulary: contour interval, contour line, elevation, profile, relief, topographic map
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do lhese BEFORE using lhe Gizmo.)
The image below shows part of Lake Mead, lhe largest reservoir in lhe United States. Nolice lhe
band of while sediments above lhe water line. This band is known as the "balhtub ring.'
How do you think lhe bathtub ring formed?
Its a result of buildup of soap and other shower products
What do you notice about the boundary between the white sediment and dark rock above?
the waler eroded lhe rock, lhe boundary between the white sediment and the dark rock above
is two completely different colors.
Gizmo Warm-up
Due to gravity, lhe surface of a lake always forms a horizontal plane, wilh every poinl lhe same
elevation above sea level. The shore of a lake thus forms a contour line, or a line of equal
elevation. The Building Topographic Maps Gizmo"1" allows you Io create a topographic map by
tracing lhe shore of a lake.
Observe lhe 3D view of lhe landscape
Slowly increase lhe Water level (m).
What do you see?
Land submerged in water completely while others are nol
About how high is the highest poinl on the map? 9D0 metres
Activity:
Make a map
Gel lhe Gizmo ready:
• Click New.
■ Sei lhe Water level Io 0 m.
Goal: Use water to create a topographic map.
Name Seanna Serflaten Date: 6/14/23
Vocabulary: contour interval, contour line, elevation, profile, relief, topographic map
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do lhese BEFORE using lhe Gizmo.)
The image below shows part of Lake Mead, lhe largest reservoir in lhe United States. Nolice lhe
band of while sediments above lhe water line. This band is known as the "balhtub ring.'
How do you think lhe bathtub ring formed?
Its a result of buildup of soap and other shower products
What do you notice about the boundary between the white sediment and dark rock above?
the waler eroded lhe rock, lhe boundary between the white sediment and the dark rock above
is two completely different colors.
Gizmo Warm-up
Due to gravity, lhe surface of a lake always forms a horizontal plane, wilh every poinl lhe same
elevation above sea level. The shore of a lake thus forms a contour line, or a line of equal
elevation. The Building Topographic Maps Gizmo"1" allows you Io create a topographic map by
tracing lhe shore of a lake.
Observe lhe 3D view of lhe landscape
Slowly increase lhe Water level (m).
What do you see?
Land submerged in water completely while others are nol
About how high is the highest poinl on the map? 9D0 metres
Activity:
Make a map
Gel lhe Gizmo ready:
• Click New.
■ Sei lhe Water level Io 0 m.
Goal: Use water to create a topographic map.
M2L4: Building Topographic Maps
Observe: Slowly raise lhe Water level from 0 m to 1DOO m. Observe haw the appearance of the
landscape changes.
Whal happens Io mountains as the water level rises?
mountains are left dry until the flood water cavers them.
Calculate The relief of a landscape is equal to lhe elevation difference between the highest and
lowest p oints of th e land sea pe U se the Water IeveI siide r to m ea sure lhe el evali an af Ih e
lowest point and the highest point in the landscape.
What is lhe elevation of the lowest point in lhe landscape? 100 metres
What is lhe elevation of the highest poinl in the landscape? 9DQ metres
What is lhe relief of this landscape? 8D0 metres
Create: Set the Water level to 9DQ m. (Note: You can enter a number directly into the box to the
right of the slider.) Click Draw Contour to insert a contour line al this water level. Decrease lhe
water level and draw other contours at SOD m, 70D m, 60D m. and so on until no water remains
on the landscape.
When your topographic map is complete, click the Tools menu and select Screen shot.
Right click the image, select Copy Image, and then paste the innage into lhe space below.
Insert your map in lhe space below:
The contour interval of a map is lhe elevation difference between successive contour lines.
What is lhe contour interval ofyour map? 10D metres
Observe: Slowly raise lhe Water level from 0 m to 1DOO m. Observe haw the appearance of the
landscape changes.
Whal happens Io mountains as the water level rises?
mountains are left dry until the flood water cavers them.
Calculate The relief of a landscape is equal to lhe elevation difference between the highest and
lowest p oints of th e land sea pe U se the Water IeveI siide r to m ea sure lhe el evali an af Ih e
lowest point and the highest point in the landscape.
What is lhe elevation of the lowest point in lhe landscape? 100 metres
What is lhe elevation of the highest poinl in the landscape? 9DQ metres
What is lhe relief of this landscape? 8D0 metres
Create: Set the Water level to 9DQ m. (Note: You can enter a number directly into the box to the
right of the slider.) Click Draw Contour to insert a contour line al this water level. Decrease lhe
water level and draw other contours at SOD m, 70D m, 60D m. and so on until no water remains
on the landscape.
When your topographic map is complete, click the Tools menu and select Screen shot.
Right click the image, select Copy Image, and then paste the innage into lhe space below.
Insert your map in lhe space below:
The contour interval of a map is lhe elevation difference between successive contour lines.
What is lhe contour interval ofyour map? 10D metres
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Subject
Earth Science