- 2059 Chaitra (old course) · 4 marks
Altitude versus attitude
Short answer
Altitude is the vertical height of a point above mean sea level, expressed in metres. Attitude describes the orientation of a planar feature by its strike (direction) and dip (angle), measured in degrees with a compass.
Differentiate between altitude and attitude.
| Point | Altitude | Attitude |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Height of a point above mean sea level (or a datum) | Orientation of a geological plane or line in space |
| Expressed by | A single number in metres | Strike and dip (direction and angle), or trend and plunge |
| Unit | Metre | Degrees (bearing and angle) |
| Instrument | Altimeter, levelling, GPS | Geological compass (Brunton/Clar) with clinometer |
| Use | Contour maps, three-point problems, elevations | Geological maps, cross-sections, structure analysis |
| Example | Borehole top at 280 m above MSL | N30°E / 40°SE |
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)
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