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Topographic Maps and Relief Maps I. Topographic Map

Mountains are formed by various geological processes. Volcanic mountains form when magma is pushed up through the earth's crust during volcanic eruptions and hardens. Fold mountains like the Himalayas form due to tectonic plate movement pushing crust upwards into folds and ridges. Weathering breaks down mountain rock over time through processes like ice formation, water erosion, temperature changes, and plant and glacier activity. Climate varies with elevation on mountains, becoming cooler and possibly snow-covered at higher altitudes.

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hussain korir
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213 views

Topographic Maps and Relief Maps I. Topographic Map

Mountains are formed by various geological processes. Volcanic mountains form when magma is pushed up through the earth's crust during volcanic eruptions and hardens. Fold mountains like the Himalayas form due to tectonic plate movement pushing crust upwards into folds and ridges. Weathering breaks down mountain rock over time through processes like ice formation, water erosion, temperature changes, and plant and glacier activity. Climate varies with elevation on mountains, becoming cooler and possibly snow-covered at higher altitudes.

Uploaded by

hussain korir
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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 Mountains and hills are areas of high ground.

 If a ground rises above 3000m it is called a mountain, and if less than


3000m is said to be a hill
 A map is also essential if you are working on a mountain ., But a map is flat so
how can it shows hills and mountains and also the rise and falls of the land.
Topographic Maps and Relief
Maps
There are two types of maps :
I. Topographic map: This shows the natural
features of the land. such as hills, mountains ,
Lakes , rivers and also the human features
on the map.
II. Relief maps: this shows only how high or low
the different parts , of a country, a region or
a continent are.
> on both topographic and relief maps the
height of the land are shown using different
colors, usually shades of brown and green.
.> all the areas with the same height above
sea level are given same colors.
> Such maps needs key to interpret.
HEIGHT ABOVE SEA LEVEL(Altitude)
 Altitude is height above sea level.
 Heights and depth on a map are measured above
or below average sea level
 We can say mount Everest if the highest point on
Earth ,or the tallest mountain.
 Everest 8863 meters above sea level.

Contour Line
We can show heights on a map by using contour
lines
>> Contour line are lines joining places with the
same height above sea level.
>> They are exactly level.
>> Contour line never crosses each other.
Map scales and contour lines
 The different in height or
interval shown on the maps
by the contour lines depend
on the scale of the map.
 On small map in an Atlas
the contour lines are at an
interval of 1000m or 2000 m.
 On a large map in an Atlas
the contour lines are shown
at an interval of 10 m.
How mountains are formed
 Some few mountains stand alone
such as , mt Fujiyama in Japan, Mt
Kenya in Kenya Mt Taranaki in
new zealand.
 Some of the mountains are found in
long chain of mountain called
Ranges. Exaples. The alps in Europe,
Andes in South America, Himalayas
in asia , Sarawat and Rocky mts all
these are example mountain ranges.
VOLCANIC MOUNTAINS
 We understand That the earth is
made up of layers of rocks , The
outer part of the earth is solid
,made up solid rock ,this is called
the Earth Crust.
 Below or beneath the earth crust
there is a layer called the Mantle.
 Near the top of the mantle some
of the rocks are so hot that they
melted to form a thick liquid like
sticky tar called Magma.
 When the magna is subjected to
high pressure and forced out
through a weak point on earth
crust or fissure, they burst out
through volcanic eruption.
 When Magma is pushed up the
vent and flows downwards they
cool and solidify forming Example:
volcanic mountains and hills.
Mt Kenya, Mt Kilimanjaro, Mt
Nyiragongo, Mt Mauna Loa,
Block mountains
 These are mountains formed by
faulting. When rocks are subjected
to extreme compression, fault lines
develop. The land between fault
lines is pushed up to form block
mountains. An example is the
Ruwenzori Mountain in Uganda,
Abardares in Kenya
 Compressional forces ,are forces
pushing towards each other.
FOLD MOUNTAINS
 The earth crust is made up of large pieces called
plates, which fits to each other/together like a
jigsaw puzzle.
 Some of the plates have ocean and others carries
continents.
 Plates moves slowly/drift floating on the molten
rocks in the mantle below them .
 When the two plates pushes against each other, the
crust is slowly pushed up in folds or ridges, which
forms a fold mountains:

Examples:
 Himalayan Mountains in Asia.
 the Alps in Europe.
 the Andes in South America.
 the Rockies in North America.
 the Urals in Russia.
 Cape ranges in South Africa
 Atlas mountains.
 Drakensberg
Cape ranges
Mountains and
Climate

 As you climb up the mountain the weather changes.


 This means the higher you go the cooler it becomes, the
temperature fall by about 2 degrees Celsius for every
300 meters you climb.
 When you climb higher you will reach the snow line,
above this height it is cold that snow covers the ground
even in summer,
 This is why there is snow on top of the mountains near
the equator.
Weather and Land use

 The sun affects the different sides of a mountain


differently.
 One side may be in a sunshine and the other in a
shadow , and because cold air is heavier than the
hot air , it sinks in the valley.

Leeward Side

Windward Side
Weathering
 Weathering is the breaking down and
disintegration of rocks materials on the earth
surface .
 As mountains are being formed they are also
being worn away this happens or caused
1. Ice: since rocks have cracks in them ,when rain
falls water gets in these cracks, and if it gets cold
the water freezes to form ice , when water turns
into ice it expand , pressing hard against the
sides of the rock cracks eventually the rock
breaks and slide down the mountain.
2. Water: Rain water contain a weak acid , which
when they fall on the rocks , it gradually corrode
and dissolve the rocks made of chalk and
limestone.
3. Changes in temperature : Constant changes in
temperature , high and low weakens the rocks,
over time the rock breaks into smaller pieces that
slides down the side of the mountain.
4. Plants :As plant roots can grow into the cracks in
rocks , the roots grow bigger , forcing the cracks
to open wider and pieces of the rocks breaks
off.
5. Glacier: This is a slow –moving river of ice. When
they move down the river valley it wears away
the rocks , making a deep u-shaped valley.

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