Vertical datum

Okay kiddo, have you ever looked at a map or a globe of the world? It shows you all the countries and oceans and mountains, right? But did you ever think about how they know how high or low everything is on that map or globe?

Well, that's where the idea of a "vertical datum" comes in. Think of it like a starting point for measuring how high or low something is. It's kind of like when you play a game of "I Spy" and someone says "I spy something green" and everyone starts looking for something green.

A vertical datum is a starting point that everyone agrees on so that when people talk about how high or low something is, they all know what they're talking about. It's like a reference point for measuring elevation or depth.

There are actually different types of vertical datums depending on where you are in the world. Some are based on the height of the sea level, while others are based on the elevation of a particular point on land.

So next time you look at a map or globe, remember that somewhere there's a starting point that helps us know how high or low everything is. And now you know it's called a "vertical datum"!