Which term describes the vertical distance between adjacent contour lines?

Which term describes the vertical distance between adjacent contour lines?

• A. Scale
• B. Elevation
• C. Contour interval
• D. Gradient

Answer: (C)

The vertical distance between adjacent contour lines is the contour interval. On a topographic map, contour lines connect points of equal elevation, and the contour interval is the fixed elevation difference from one line to the next. For example, with a 20-meter contour interval, each successive contour line represents an elevation 20 meters higher (or lower) than the previous one. This concept is distinct from scale (the map’s size ratio), elevation (the height above sea level of a single point), and gradient (how steeply the terrain rises or falls over distance).

The vertical distance between adjacent contour lines is the contour interval. On a topographic map, contour lines connect points of equal elevation, and the contour interval is the fixed elevation difference from one line to the next. For example, with a 20-meter contour interval, each successive contour line represents an elevation 20 meters higher (or lower) than the previous one. This concept is distinct from scale (the map’s size ratio), elevation (the height above sea level of a single point), and gradient (how steeply the terrain rises or falls over distance).