CST Level 1 Land Surveyor Certification Practice

As you go uphill from the instrument, the readings observed by the level operator are:

1. Getting smaller

2. Getting larger

3. Getting harder to see

4. Getting easier to see

The correct answer is: Getting smaller

When observing a level instrument on a survey site, the operator takes readings based on the horizontal line of sight established by the instrument. As the operator moves uphill from the point of the instrument, the elevation of the point being observed increases in relation to the horizontal line of sight. This change in elevation means that the readings, which represent the vertical distance from the instrument to the target points, will appear smaller as the operator is measuring more height. In surveying, particularly with levels, the height difference impacts the observed readings directly. Therefore, as the surveyor moves uphill, the distance to the line of sight decreases, resulting in smaller level readings. Additionally, when surveying, higher readings are taken when objects are below the line of sight, so moving uphill reduces the difference in height between the instrument and the target, leading to decreased readings. This principle is fundamental for understanding how elevation changes affect measurement in land surveying.