May contours intersect?

May contours intersect?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Only at the headwaters
• D. Only in flat regions

Answer: (B)

Contours mark points that are all at the same elevation. At any given spot, the height is a single value, so two different elevations can’t occur there. If contour lines intersected, that would imply the same location has two different elevations at once, which isn’t possible. So contours never cross each other. They can loop around hills or sink into depressions or form V shapes along valleys, but they don’t intersect.

Contours mark points that are all at the same elevation. At any given spot, the height is a single value, so two different elevations can’t occur there. If contour lines intersected, that would imply the same location has two different elevations at once, which isn’t possible. So contours never cross each other. They can loop around hills or sink into depressions or form V shapes along valleys, but they don’t intersect.