Create topographic profiles

Present the difference between the two types of mountains.

Young mountains. Sharp and high peaks (over 1800 meters) often covered in eternal snow. In France, the Alps, the Pyrenees, the Jura and Corsica are young mountains. The highest point in Europe is Mont Blanc: 4807 meters.

Ancient mountains. Rounded, lower summits (between 600 and 1800 meters) often covered with vegetation. The summits have been rounded over tens of millions of years by erosion (rain, wind, frost, etc.). In France, the Massif Central and the Vosges are ancient mountains.

Topographic profiles from Google Earth.

Digital tools allow new modes of representation. Google Earth notably offers a very interesting tool for creating topographic profiles: Draw a line then display the topographic profile, visualize and compare different topologies of the Earth, differentiate old mountains from young mountains.

Google Earth also allows you to measure distances, elevations, perimeters and areas. After becoming familiar with these first tools, students will be able to try the profile creation tool.

To use this tool, you need to install the desktop version of Google Earth (not the online version).

Follow our tutorial for this activity...

Create a topographic profile of a young mountain and an old mountain and then compare. Students will be able to recreate the activity at home with their parents.