Hypsometry

Hypsometry (from Ancient Greek ὕψος (húpsos) 'height' and μέτρον (métron) 'measure')^[1]^[2] is the measurement of the elevation and depth of features of Earth's surface relative to mean sea level.^[3]

On Earth, the elevations can take on either positive or negative (below sea level) values. The distribution is theorised to be bimodal due to the difference in density between the lighter continental crust and denser oceanic crust.^[4] On other planets within this solar system, elevations are typically unimodal, owing to the lack of plate tectonics on those bodies.^{[citation needed]}

Hypsography of the Earth. Notice that Earth has two peaks in elevation, one for the continents, the other for the ocean floors.

^ ὕψος, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
^ μέτρον, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
^ Rafferty, John P. "Hypsometry". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
^ The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Hypsometric curve". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 23 May 2021. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)

[1] ὕψος, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus

[2] μέτρον, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus

[3] Rafferty, John P. "Hypsometry". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 21 May 2021.

[4] The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Hypsometric curve". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 23 May 2021. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)

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Hypsometry

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