What generally indicates steep slopes on a topographic map?

Closely spaced contour lines on a topographic map indicate steep slopes. Contour lines represent elevation and the steepness of terrain based on their proximity to one another. When contour lines are close together, it signifies a rapid change in elevation over a short horizontal distance, which corresponds to a steep incline or decline.

In contrast, widely spaced contour lines would suggest gentler slopes, as there is a gradual change in elevation. Flat terrain would typically show contour lines that are very far apart, indicating minimal elevation change. Color variations on a map might provide additional visual information about terrain, but they do not directly convey the steepness of slopes in a measurable way. Thus, the closest and most informative representation of steep slopes is the closeness of the contour lines.