Topographical maps show the height and size of land formations.
Looking at geologic structures on a map is much different from seeing it as we do in regular maps. Maps are limited in the amount of detail that can be conveyed, but are quite useful once you are used to reading topography. In order to recognize a geologic structure as it is indicated on a map, you must first know exactly what structure you are looking for, its approximate size, and its location in relation to surrounding land forms.
Instructions
1. Identify the structures you are looking for by name. This is the easiest way to recognize a structure when all you have is a map. The ability to determine that you are standing in front of a large stream, rather than a river can be quite helpful.
2. Look for thin black lines with small numbers running next to them. These lines, known as contour lines, indicate altitude at any given point on the map. Areas with quickly escalating numbers and with contour lines close together are steep inclines and declines that may indicate the slopes of a mountain.
3. Utilize the map's color key and symbols to the best of your ability. Blue almost always indicates a body of water, while brown could mean desert, prairie or a field. Measure the size of the structures using the map's scale for an idea as to what you are looking at. A small pond may turn out to be a large lake if you have been misreading the scale.
Tags: contour lines
