Elevation refers to the height of a point on the Earth's surface above sea level. It's a measure of vertical distance.

Steepness refers to the angle of a slope, which is a measure of how much the land rises or falls over a certain distance.

Here's an analogy:

* Imagine a mountain. Its elevation is how high the mountain peak is above sea level.

* The steepness of the mountain is how quickly the land rises from the base to the peak. A steep mountain has a sharp incline, while a gentle mountain has a gradual slope.

So, while elevation and steepness are related to the topography of the land, they are distinct concepts.