Slopes and landforms

Slopes and landforms in contour lines

1. Contour lines Contour lines can show slopes or landforms.

2. A. SLOPE/GRADIENT Gentle slopes: when contour lines are far apart. Steep slope: when contour lines are close together Click on the link to watch a video illustrating the difference between gentle slopes and steep slopes Steel slope vs Gentle slope

3. A. SLOPE/GRADIENT Stepped/Terraced slopes : pairs of steeply spaced contour lines are separated by areas of gentle slope. http://slnavigation.weebly.com/grid-references.html Concave slope: when contours are close together (steep) at the higher heights and far apart (gentle) at the  lower height Convex slope: when contours are far apart (gentle) at the higher heights and close together (steep) at the lower heights.

4. B. LANDFORMS Conical hill/ pointed butte : A hill where the slopes are similar in all directions.  The contour lines look like concentric circles with the smallest circle in the centre, showing the pointed top. http://regents-earth-science-1.wikispaces.com Valley:  The contour lines are 'V' shaped.  Valleys are formed when contours bend to form a 'V' and the 'V' points in the direction of higher land.  Rivers run in valleys - always from a higher land. 

5. B. LANDFORMS Valley: The contour lines are 'V' shaped.  Valleys are formed when contours bend to form a 'V' and the 'V' points in the direction of higher land.  Rivers run in valleys - always from a higher land.  http://www.geography.learnontheinternet.co.uk/topics/river_upper_course.html

6. B. LANDFORMS Spur: The opposite of a valley. When the contours bend to form a 'V' and the 'V' points in the direction of the lower land.  A spur is normally next to the valleys . http://4.bp.blogspot.com Cliff/Waterfall: When contour lines seem to touch it is a cliff and where there is a river running where the contours touch it is called a waterfall.    http://muskingum.edu http://cnx.org/cont http://cnx.org/content ent

7. B. LANDFORMS Saddle: A low point between two or more higher points in a mountain. http://www.justtrails.com