Boxi Learn › Geography › Stage 2 · Models and Patterns
Read a hill from its contour lines
GEO-1 A map is the world made smallX-3 Look from another side
What many people think
Contour lines that are close together show low, flat ground.
The idea
Each contour line joins points of the same height, so lines packed close together mean a steep slope and lines far apart mean gentle ground.
Explain it
A friend says crowded contour lines must mean low, flat ground. Explain what the gap between two contour lines measures, and what on a map tells you whether ground is low or high.
Try at home
Make a clay hill with one steep side, stand it in a clear box and add water 1 cm at a time, tracing the waterline on the hill each time. Look straight down: where are the lines closest?