Glaciation

Question 1

Explain the formation of a glacier

Answer 1

Snow collects in a north facing hollow. It compacts and compresses to form neve, eventually forming glacial ice.

Question 2

Explain the movement of a glacier

Answer 2

Glaciers move under their own weight and gravity.
Glaciers also move by baisal sliding where a melt water layer is created due to friction between the glacier and land. This melts the bottom layer of the glacier allowing it to slide over land.

Question 3

Explain the 3 erosional processes

Answer 3

Plucking - ice melts onto a piece of rock and pulls it out as the ice continues to move downhill.

Abrasion - ice already has fragments of rock embedded in its base and these scrape at the rocks surface.

Freeze thaw - water enters cracks in the rock. It freezes and expands to form ice. This forces the cracks wider. The water thaws and refreezes, again and again, further widening the cracks eventually loosening fragments of rock.

Question 4

State the 4 stages involved in the formation of a Corrie.

Answer 4

Stage 1 - formation of a glacier
Stage 2 - movement of a glacier
Stage 3 - 3 erosional processes
Stage 4 - formation of a Corrie

Question 5

Explain the formation of a Corrie

Answer 5

Back wall is steepened by plucking. Overtime, the hollow is deepened by abrasion. Ice may deposit material called a rock lip. When the ice melts, a Corrie loch is left behind.

Question 6

Give an example of a Corrie

Answer 6

Red tarn

Question 7

State the 5 stages involved in the formation of an arête

Answer 7

Stage 1 - formation of a glacier
Stage 2 - movement of a glacier
Stage 3 - 3 erosional processes
Stage 4 - formation of a Corrie 
Stage 5 - formation of an arête

Question 8

Explain the formation of an arête

Answer 8

An arête if formed when 2 Corries form back to back, creating a sharp ridge.

Question 9

State the 6 stages involved in the formation of a pyramidal peak

Answer 9

Stage 1 - formation of a glacier
Stage 2 - movement of a glacier
Stage 3 - 3 erosional processes
Stage 4 - formation of a Corrie 
Stage 5 - formation of an arête
Stage 6 - formation of a pyramidal peak

Question 10

Explain the formation of a pyramidal peak

Answer 10

A pyramidal peak is formed when 3 corries form back to back, creating a jagged peak

Question 11

Give an example of an arête

Answer 11

Striding edge

Question 12

State the 5 stages involved in the formation of a u-shape valley

Answer 12

Stage 1 - formation of a v-shape valley
Stage 2 - formation of a glacier
Stage 3 - movement of a glacier 
Stage 4 - 3 erosional processes 
Stage 5 - formation of a u-shape valley

Question 13

Explain the formation of a v-shape valley

Answer 13

A v-shape valley is formed by verticals erosion of a river

Question 14

Explain the formation of a glacier(v-shape valley)

Answer 14

Snow collects in a v-shape valley. It compacts and compresses to form neve, eventually forming glacial ice

Question 15

Explain the formation of a u-shape valley

Answer 15

Plucking steepens the valley sides. Abrasion deepens the valley floor. The river left behind is called a misfit stream

Question 16

State the stages involved in the formation of a hanging valley

Answer 16

Stage 1 - formation of a v-shape valley
Stage 2 - formation of a glacier
Stage 3 - movement of a glacier 
Stage 4 - 3 erosional processes 
Stage 5 - formation of a u-shape valley
Stage 6 - formation of a hanging valley

Question 17

Explain the formation of a hanging valley

Answer 17

A hanging valley is a small v or u shape valley that forms high up on the side of the main valley. Sometimes a waterfall is created

Question 18

State the 6 stages involved in the formation of a ribbon lake

Answer 18

Stage 1 - formation of a v-shape valley
Stage 2 - formation of a glacier
Stage 3 - movement of a glacier 
Stage 4 - 3 erosional processes 
Stage 5 - formation of a u-shape valley
Stage 6 - formation of a ribbon lake

Question 19

Explain the formation of a ribbon lake

Answer 19

Ribbon lakes can form where softer bedrock is eroded more deeply than the surrounded area. Ribbon lakes can form where a terminal of recessional morraine creates a dam.

Question 20

Give an example of a ribbon lake

Answer 20

Lake Windermere

Question 21

Explain the 3 methods of transportation use for glacial debris

Answer 21

Supraglacial - material carried on the surface of the glacier
Englacial - material carried within the body of the glacier
Subglacial - material carried at the base of the glacier

Question 22

State the 5 stages involved in the formation of a drumlin

Answer 22

Stage 1 - formation of a glacier
Stage 2 - movement of a glacier
Stage 3 - 3 erosional processes
Stage 4 - transportation 
Stage 5 - formation of a drumlin

Question 23

Explain the formation of a drumlin

Answer 23

Drumlin’s are oval hills made of till. Drumlins often appear in groups called swarms. The unsorted material is moulded by the base of the glacier to form a steep upstream end, with a more streamlined downstream gentler ice slope showing the direction in which the glacier was moving

Question 24

State the 5 stages involved in the formation of an erratic

Answer 24

Stage 1 - formation of a glacier
Stage 2 - movement of a glacier
Stage 3 - 3 erosional processes
Stage 4 - transportation 
Stage 5 - formation of an erratic

Question 25

Explain the formation of an erratic

Answer 25

Erratics are boulders carried by ice by supraglacial transportation, often for many kilometres, which have been deposited in areas ofcompletely different rock type

Question 26

State the 5 stages involved in the formation of a terminal moraine

Answer 26

Stage 1 - formation of a glacier
Stage 2 - movement of a glacier
Stage 3 - 3 erosional processes
Stage 4 - transportation 
Stage 5 - formation of a terminal moraine

Question 27

Explain the formation of a terminal moraine

Answer 27

As glaciers advance, material is bulldozed at the front of the glacier. When the glacier retreats, this mound of material is left and this is what is known as a terminal moraine. It shows the furthest extent that the glacier reached

Question 28

State the 5 stages involved in the formation of an esker

Answer 28

Stage 1 - formation of a glacier
Stage 2 - movement of a glacier
Stage 3 - 3 erosional processes
Stage 4 - transportation 
Stage 5 - formation of an esker

Question 29

Explain the formation of an esker

Answer 29

Eskers are long, narrow, steep sided, winding ridges of sand and gravel. They are formed inside the ice, in tunnels in which melt water streams flowed and when the glacier melts are deposited perfectly in lines