Selina Textbook Solutions: Interpreting Topographical Maps | Geography Class 8 ICSE PDF Download

 Page 1


Interpreting Topographical Maps 
A. Fill in the blanks 
1. A contour line is an imaginary line that connects all points having the same height 
above sea level. 
2. In a grid system of a topo sheet, the lines that run vertically are called eastings. 
3. Contour lines do not intersect one another. 
4. The contour lines of a hill are evenly spaced in the form of concentric circles. 
5. Houses or huts in scattered settlement are far apart from one another. 
B. Match the following columns 
 
 
 
 
Page 2


Interpreting Topographical Maps 
A. Fill in the blanks 
1. A contour line is an imaginary line that connects all points having the same height 
above sea level. 
2. In a grid system of a topo sheet, the lines that run vertically are called eastings. 
3. Contour lines do not intersect one another. 
4. The contour lines of a hill are evenly spaced in the form of concentric circles. 
5. Houses or huts in scattered settlement are far apart from one another. 
B. Match the following columns 
 
 
 
 
C. Choose the correct answer 
1. The contour lines for this feature are evenly spaced in the form of concentric circles. 
1. conical hill 
2. plateau 
3. ridge 
4. saddle 
2. The contours for this feature are oval with contours close to each other indicating 
steepness. 
1. conical hill 
2. plateau 
3. ridge 
4. saddle 
3. This feature can be identified by a drop in height of the contours. 
1. conical hill 
2. ridge 
3. col 
4. gap 
4. The green area in a topo sheet contains 
1. settlement 
2. barren land 
3. cultivated land 
4. vegetation 
5. On the topographical map these water bodies are shown in black colour. 
1. Dry Nadi 
2. Tank 
3. Settlement 
4. River 
 
 
 
Page 3


Interpreting Topographical Maps 
A. Fill in the blanks 
1. A contour line is an imaginary line that connects all points having the same height 
above sea level. 
2. In a grid system of a topo sheet, the lines that run vertically are called eastings. 
3. Contour lines do not intersect one another. 
4. The contour lines of a hill are evenly spaced in the form of concentric circles. 
5. Houses or huts in scattered settlement are far apart from one another. 
B. Match the following columns 
 
 
 
 
C. Choose the correct answer 
1. The contour lines for this feature are evenly spaced in the form of concentric circles. 
1. conical hill 
2. plateau 
3. ridge 
4. saddle 
2. The contours for this feature are oval with contours close to each other indicating 
steepness. 
1. conical hill 
2. plateau 
3. ridge 
4. saddle 
3. This feature can be identified by a drop in height of the contours. 
1. conical hill 
2. ridge 
3. col 
4. gap 
4. The green area in a topo sheet contains 
1. settlement 
2. barren land 
3. cultivated land 
4. vegetation 
5. On the topographical map these water bodies are shown in black colour. 
1. Dry Nadi 
2. Tank 
3. Settlement 
4. River 
 
 
 
D. State whether the following are true or false  
1. A contour line is an imaginary line that connects all points having the same 
temperature. 
Answer. False. 
A contour lines is an imaginary line that connects all points having the same height. 
2. The lines that run vertically are called nothings. 
Answer. False. 
The lines that run vertically are called eatings. 
3. Contour lines are drawn at fixed intervals. 
Ans. True. 
4. A gap is a low lying depression or a valley which cuts through a range of hills. 
Answer. True. 
5. The spot height is indicated on the map with a small triangle followed by the number. 
Answer. False. 
The triangulated stations is indicated on the map with a small triangle followed by the 
number. 
E. Answer the following questions in brief 
Question 1. 
What do topographical maps show ? 
Answer: 
Topographical maps are large scale maps that show both natural features (such as 
mountains, hills, rivers, plateaus, ridges, etc) and human-made features (such as roads, 
railway tracks, temples, bridges, buildings, etc). 
Question 2. 
What is a contour line ? 
Answer: 
A contour line is an imaginary line on a map connecting points at the same height above 
sea level. 
Page 4


Interpreting Topographical Maps 
A. Fill in the blanks 
1. A contour line is an imaginary line that connects all points having the same height 
above sea level. 
2. In a grid system of a topo sheet, the lines that run vertically are called eastings. 
3. Contour lines do not intersect one another. 
4. The contour lines of a hill are evenly spaced in the form of concentric circles. 
5. Houses or huts in scattered settlement are far apart from one another. 
B. Match the following columns 
 
 
 
 
C. Choose the correct answer 
1. The contour lines for this feature are evenly spaced in the form of concentric circles. 
1. conical hill 
2. plateau 
3. ridge 
4. saddle 
2. The contours for this feature are oval with contours close to each other indicating 
steepness. 
1. conical hill 
2. plateau 
3. ridge 
4. saddle 
3. This feature can be identified by a drop in height of the contours. 
1. conical hill 
2. ridge 
3. col 
4. gap 
4. The green area in a topo sheet contains 
1. settlement 
2. barren land 
3. cultivated land 
4. vegetation 
5. On the topographical map these water bodies are shown in black colour. 
1. Dry Nadi 
2. Tank 
3. Settlement 
4. River 
 
 
 
D. State whether the following are true or false  
1. A contour line is an imaginary line that connects all points having the same 
temperature. 
Answer. False. 
A contour lines is an imaginary line that connects all points having the same height. 
2. The lines that run vertically are called nothings. 
Answer. False. 
The lines that run vertically are called eatings. 
3. Contour lines are drawn at fixed intervals. 
Ans. True. 
4. A gap is a low lying depression or a valley which cuts through a range of hills. 
Answer. True. 
5. The spot height is indicated on the map with a small triangle followed by the number. 
Answer. False. 
The triangulated stations is indicated on the map with a small triangle followed by the 
number. 
E. Answer the following questions in brief 
Question 1. 
What do topographical maps show ? 
Answer: 
Topographical maps are large scale maps that show both natural features (such as 
mountains, hills, rivers, plateaus, ridges, etc) and human-made features (such as roads, 
railway tracks, temples, bridges, buildings, etc). 
Question 2. 
What is a contour line ? 
Answer: 
A contour line is an imaginary line on a map connecting points at the same height above 
sea level. 
 
Question 3. 
Distinguish Vertical Interval and Horizontal Equivalent. 
Answer: 
The difference in height between two adjacent contour lines is known as the Vertical 
Interval (V.I.). Whereas the distance between any two adjacent contour lines is called 
the Horizontal Equivalent (H.E.). The Horizontal Equivalent is calculated with the help of 
the scale of the map. The value of the H.E. is less when the slope is steep and more 
when the slope is gentle. 
Question 4. 
What is a ridge ? How do you identify a ridge on a topo sheet ? 
Answer: 
A ridge is a long and narrow elevation that has steep slopes on either side and stands 
out from the surrounding lowlands. It also acts as a watershed to rivers that flow down 
narrow 
 
Page 5


Interpreting Topographical Maps 
A. Fill in the blanks 
1. A contour line is an imaginary line that connects all points having the same height 
above sea level. 
2. In a grid system of a topo sheet, the lines that run vertically are called eastings. 
3. Contour lines do not intersect one another. 
4. The contour lines of a hill are evenly spaced in the form of concentric circles. 
5. Houses or huts in scattered settlement are far apart from one another. 
B. Match the following columns 
 
 
 
 
C. Choose the correct answer 
1. The contour lines for this feature are evenly spaced in the form of concentric circles. 
1. conical hill 
2. plateau 
3. ridge 
4. saddle 
2. The contours for this feature are oval with contours close to each other indicating 
steepness. 
1. conical hill 
2. plateau 
3. ridge 
4. saddle 
3. This feature can be identified by a drop in height of the contours. 
1. conical hill 
2. ridge 
3. col 
4. gap 
4. The green area in a topo sheet contains 
1. settlement 
2. barren land 
3. cultivated land 
4. vegetation 
5. On the topographical map these water bodies are shown in black colour. 
1. Dry Nadi 
2. Tank 
3. Settlement 
4. River 
 
 
 
D. State whether the following are true or false  
1. A contour line is an imaginary line that connects all points having the same 
temperature. 
Answer. False. 
A contour lines is an imaginary line that connects all points having the same height. 
2. The lines that run vertically are called nothings. 
Answer. False. 
The lines that run vertically are called eatings. 
3. Contour lines are drawn at fixed intervals. 
Ans. True. 
4. A gap is a low lying depression or a valley which cuts through a range of hills. 
Answer. True. 
5. The spot height is indicated on the map with a small triangle followed by the number. 
Answer. False. 
The triangulated stations is indicated on the map with a small triangle followed by the 
number. 
E. Answer the following questions in brief 
Question 1. 
What do topographical maps show ? 
Answer: 
Topographical maps are large scale maps that show both natural features (such as 
mountains, hills, rivers, plateaus, ridges, etc) and human-made features (such as roads, 
railway tracks, temples, bridges, buildings, etc). 
Question 2. 
What is a contour line ? 
Answer: 
A contour line is an imaginary line on a map connecting points at the same height above 
sea level. 
 
Question 3. 
Distinguish Vertical Interval and Horizontal Equivalent. 
Answer: 
The difference in height between two adjacent contour lines is known as the Vertical 
Interval (V.I.). Whereas the distance between any two adjacent contour lines is called 
the Horizontal Equivalent (H.E.). The Horizontal Equivalent is calculated with the help of 
the scale of the map. The value of the H.E. is less when the slope is steep and more 
when the slope is gentle. 
Question 4. 
What is a ridge ? How do you identify a ridge on a topo sheet ? 
Answer: 
A ridge is a long and narrow elevation that has steep slopes on either side and stands 
out from the surrounding lowlands. It also acts as a watershed to rivers that flow down 
narrow 
 
valleys on both of its sides. A ridge could also have several peaks of various elevations. 
On a toposheet, the contours of a ridge are oval with contour close to each other 
indicating steepness. 
Question 5. 
What is a saddle ? Draw a diagram to show a saddle. 
Answer: 
A saddle is a shallow depression at a high elevation between two peaks or ridges. The 
depression is formed by streams or by glaciers flowing close to each other. A saddle 
need not have a river or stream flowing through it. 
 
Question 6. 
What is a linear settlement ? Where would you normally find a linear settlement ? 
Answer: 
Linear settlements are those settlements that develop in a line. Houses, shops, dhaba’s, 
petrol pumps and garages develop along the sides of the roads, railway lines or river 
banks. Gradually, these linear settlements grow in size. These settlements gradually 
develop into trading centres. Examples: 
1. If such a settlement is near a railway track, and over a period of time, a need for a 
railway station is felt, then it becomes a railway stop. 
2. hen located on main roads, such settlements become important stops for 
travellers as dhabas, tyre and car repairing shops and petrol pumps open up. 
3. On rivers and coasts, they become places where boats can unload goods and 
passengers. 
Question 7. 
How would you recognize a metalled road and an un metalled one on a topographical 
map? 
Answer: 
Vehicles such as trucks, buses, cars, jeeps, and other modem means of transport move 
over metalled roads. There are also cart tracks, pack tracks and footpaths, which are