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Difficulty: MediumContour Lines and Relief Representation

On a topographical map, a river flows along a valley floor where contour lines form distinct V-shapes. If the apexes of these V-shaped contours point toward the northeast as elevation increases from 200 m200\text{ m} to 500 m500\text{ m}, in which direction is the river flowing?

  1. SouthwestAnswer
  2. B
    Northeast
  3. C
    Northwest
  4. D
    Southeast

Answer

The river flows toward the southwest.
Contour lines crossing a river valley bend into a 'V' shape pointing upstream toward higher elevation. Because the V-shapes point northeast toward the 500 m500\text{ m} contour, the stream originates from the northeast and flows downhill toward the lower 200 m200\text{ m} elevation in the southwest.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the rule governing V-shaped contour lines in river valleys.
V-shaped contour lines always point upstream toward higher elevation (the source of the stream).
Water flows downhill due to gravity, from higher elevation to lower elevation.
2
Determine the orientation of higher and lower elevations based on the given contour values.
Higher ground (500 m500\text{ m}) is in the northeast, and lower ground (200 m200\text{ m}) is in the southwest.
The prompt states that the apexes point northeast as elevation increases to 500 m500\text{ m}.
3
Deduce the flow direction of the river.
The river flows from northeast (500 m500\text{ m}) down toward southwest (200 m200\text{ m}).
River flow is always from higher contour elevation to lower contour elevation.

Key Concept

V-shaped contour interpretation and river flow direction
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Contour Lines and Relief Representation

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