Topographic maps show?

• A. Location of geographical features such as hills
• B. Depth below sea level
• C. Weather patterns
• D. Plate tectonics

Answer: (A)

Topographic maps depict the shape of the land surface by showing elevation and terrain features. They use contour lines to connect points of equal elevation, so you can see where hills, valleys, ridges, and other landforms are located. The spacing of the lines tells you how steep the terrain is—closely spaced lines mean steep slopes, while wider spacing indicates gentler slopes. This type of map is specifically designed to show the actual topography, including where hills are, and how the landscape rises and falls. Weather patterns come from meteorological maps, not topographic ones; depth below sea level is a bathymetric idea tied to underwater mapping rather than land elevation; and plate tectonics is a geological concept, not a feature shown by a topographic map.