What is the Difference Between Altitude and Elevation?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The terms altitude and elevation are often used interchangeably, but they have slightly different meanings in specific contexts:
- Altitude: Refers to the vertical distance of a point or object above a reference level, which can be mean sea level or ground level, depending on the context. In the context of geography, altitude is the height of a point or object above the Earth's surface or mean sea level. In aviation, altitude typically refers to the vertical distance of an aircraft or an atmospheric phenomenon above the Earth's surface.
- Elevation: Refers to the height of a point on Earth's surface above mean sea level. Elevation is the measurement of the height of a geographical feature above mean sea level, using a fixed reference point, mean sea level.
In summary, while both altitude and elevation describe vertical distances above a reference point, altitude is used for points above the Earth's surface and can be measured from mean sea level or ground level, while elevation is used for points on the Earth's surface and is measured above mean sea level.
Comparative Table: Altitude vs Elevation
The difference between altitude and elevation can be summarized as follows:
| Feature | Altitude | Elevation |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Altitude is the vertical distance of a point or object above a reference level, which can be mean sea level or ground level, depending on the context. Elevation refers to the height of a point on Earth's surface above mean sea level. | |
| Measurement | Altitude is measured using various techniques, including traditional land surveying methods, GPS technology, and remote sensing instruments like LiDAR. Elevation is measured using these same techniques. | |
| Reference Point | Altitude can use different reference points, such as mean sea level or ground level. Elevation always uses mean sea level as the fixed reference point. | |
| Application | Altitude is used to describe the height of objects like airplanes and satellites above the Earth's surface. Elevation is used to describe the height of geographical features, such as hills and mountains, above mean sea level. |
In summary, altitude is the vertical distance of a point or object above a reference level, while elevation refers to the height of a point on Earth's surface above mean sea level. Both terms are used to measure height, but their reference points and applications differ.
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