Section 5: Mapping the Land
“Geologic maps show the pattern of different types of rock in an area—what you would see if there were no vegetation cover or soils, if the bedrock were 100 percent exposed.”
Each color on the map represents a distinct geologic formation. Geologists make these maps by hiking through the mountains and valleys, well beyond the trails, recording observations where rocks are exposed, and making inferences where ground is covered. Over time, as scientific theories advance and new terrain is explored, the maps change as well.
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