Geography map help?

Question

I'm having trrouble with recognising the following features on maps. This is one area that I always slip up on in my exams. I have my GCSE Geography exam next week.

Are there any noticeable differences between the following to help me identify them from each other (remember it's identifying them from a map not a picture)

Cave, Headland, Bay, Cliff, Spit, Wave cut platform, Arch, Salt marsh, Beach

and for glaciation:

Ribbon lakes, corries, U-shaped valley and tributaries

Thanks

Answer 1

Get to O.S. and get a typical area for glaciated highland and coast , suggest lake district for glaciated and S.Wales for coast .  Just get familiar with them , draw them . Careful  it may mean glaciated U shape valley tributary as in hanging valley or  a truncated spur .

Answer 2

i could help with some.

Tributaries are small rivers that join to become one long large river. A cave is a hollow in the land with stalactites and stalagmites and limestone and bats. A u-shaped valley is formed by melting glacier.

Answer 3

I think what you are asking for is a reference to see the different symbols used so that you are able to identify the various features. Here is a site that has many of the symbols you need:

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsit...

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsit...

Here is another very good site with symbols:

http://www.geograph.org.uk/article/Ordna...

If you are more interested in topographic maps then here are a few  good sites that have the symbols:

http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/sy...

http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/sy...

http://www.compassdude.com/map-symbols.s...

Some of the sites are repetitive but they do have different things.

Answer 4

Cave  : A side of a hill naturally hollowed out

Headland : Part of land jutting into  a sea

Bay  : Waterbody, part of a sea enclosed by land in a half-moon shape

Cliff   :  Hillside vertically rising

Spit   :  Long sandbank on coast shaped by wave action, high enough to not to submerge; often associated with lagoon on land-ward side

Wavecut platform :Flat area of negligible slope created by wave action

Arch   : Natural rocky arch formed in  hills, created by wind weathering

Salt marsh :Estuarine water creating a muddy surface, in contact with sea water

Beach  : Long sandy area abutting sea shore

Ribbon lake : Long narrow lake created by glacial action, later filled with water

Corries :circular, bowl-shaped hollow on a mountain side and at the head of a valley

U shaped valley  : U shaped valley, steep at sides created by action of glacier

Tributary : River joining (so emptying their water into) bigger river. Of the two, which is the main river and which a tributary is a matter of conjecture; Missouri joining Mississipi is an example

Answer 5

do you,or any friends/family have access to a recent OS map,especially the Landranger series?? all the topographical features you describe can be found in the notes,with a diagram of each.....