You have been given a cross-section with a horizontal scale of 1:50 000 and a vertical scale of 1:30 000. Calculate the vertical exaggeration of this cross-section. Show all your working. Use the formula below to assist you.

Question

𝑉𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑔𝑔𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒 h𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑧𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒
Question 2.3 [2 marks]
In Question 2.2 above you determined the vertical exaggeration of a cross-section. Would using this vertical exaggeration have distorted the features of the cross-section, making it look unrealistic? Give a reason for your answer.

Answer 1

To calculate the vertical exaggeration of the cross-section, we use the formula:

Vertical exaggeration = vertical scale / horizontal scale
Vertical exaggeration = 1/30,000 / 1/50,000
Vertical exaggeration = 50,000 / 30,000
Vertical exaggeration = 5/3

Therefore, the vertical exaggeration of the cross-section is 5/3 or 1.67.

In response to question 2.3, using this vertical exaggeration would indeed distort the features of the cross-section, making it look unrealistic. A vertical exaggeration of 5/3 means that the vertical dimension of the cross-section is stretched by 1.67 times compared to the horizontal dimension. This would make the slopes and elevations appear much steeper and more dramatic than they actually are in reality, resulting in an unrealistic representation of the landform.