In topographic maps, the light brown lines between index contours are called what?

In topographic maps, the light brown lines between index contours are called what?

• A. Intermediate contour lines
• B. Secondary contours
• C. Primary contours
• D. Depressions

Answer: (A)

In topographic maps, contour lines connect points of equal elevation. The bold, labeled lines are index contours that give you a specific elevation. The lighter lines that sit between those index contours are called intermediate contour lines. They fill in the elevations between the labeled lines, giving a more detailed sense of the terrain and how steep it is—closer lines mean steeper slopes, wider gaps mean gentler slopes. Depressions are shown with special marks, and primary or secondary labels aren’t the standard terms for these between-index lines, so the best match for the light brown lines between index contours is intermediate contour lines.