Which statement best describes the vertical distance between contour lines?

Which statement best describes the vertical distance between contour lines?

• A. Contour level describes the color of contour lines
• B. Contour level describes the vertical distance between contour lines
• C. Contour level describes the number of contour lines
• D. Contour level describes the map scale

Answer: (B)

Contour lines on a map indicate points of equal elevation, and how far apart they are shows how steep the terrain is. The statement here links the concept of vertical spacing to contour level, which is the closest way to express that idea among the options. In standard terminology, the vertical distance between adjacent contour lines is called the contour interval, but the option that describes vertical distance best aligns with the idea of how contour lines relate to elevation changes. The other choices—describing color, the number of lines, or the map’s scale—do not pertain to the vertical spacing of the lines.

Contour lines on a map indicate points of equal elevation, and how far apart they are shows how steep the terrain is. The statement here links the concept of vertical spacing to contour level, which is the closest way to express that idea among the options. In standard terminology, the vertical distance between adjacent contour lines is called the contour interval, but the option that describes vertical distance best aligns with the idea of how contour lines relate to elevation changes. The other choices—describing color, the number of lines, or the map’s scale—do not pertain to the vertical spacing of the lines.