Glaciation Flashcards
What is a ‘corrie’?
• A corrie is:
↳ a circular hollow
➜ with a steep back and sides
• It may also have a
↳ tarn
➜ (a small lake in a corrie)
➜ (a tarn can also be called a ‘lochan’)
• Scree (loose rock) & crags (exposed rock)
↳ may also be found.
What is an ‘arete’?
• An arete
↳ is a knife-edged ridge between two corries.
What is a ‘pyramidal peak’?
• A pyramidal peak is
↳ a sharp summit surrounded by at least 3 corries.
What is a ‘u-shaped valley’?
• A u-shaped valley is
↳ a steep sided straight valley
➜ with a very wide and flat floor.
• They may also have
↳ misfit streams or ribbon lakes.
What is a ‘hanging valley’?
• A hanging valley
↳ is a small valley
➜ ‘hanging’ above the main u-shaped valley.
What is a ‘truncated spur’?
• A truncated spur
↳ is a steep rounded area on valley sides
➜ found where glaciers have cut away the valley sides.
How are ‘corries’ formed?
1.) • Glacier
↳ forms
➜ when snow collects in a North-facing hollow high in the mountains ❄️🏔️
2.) • Over time
↳ further snow collects in the hollow
➜ compressing bottom layer into ice 🧊
3.) • The glacier
↳ moves downhill due to gravity
➜ hollow is eroded ⛰️
4.) • The back wall
➡ eroded by plucking
↳ when glacier freezes onto loose rock & pulls it free as the glacier moves
➜ making the hollow steeper ⛰️
5.) • The base
➡ eroded by abrasion
↳ when rocks frozen on to the bottom of the base scrape away at the base of the hollow
➜ causing it to deepen + widen 🕳️
6.) • Frost shattering
➡ may cause material
↳ to be incorporated into the ice 🧊
7.) • The ice
➡ then melts
↳ forming a
➜ ‘tarn lake’ 🌅
8.) • A lip
➡ is formed
↳ by the glacier depositing eroded material
➜ as it melts 💦
How are ‘aretes’ and ‘pyramidal peaks formed?
ARETES:
1.) • Snow
➡ collected in two hollows
↳ on each side of a mountain 🏔️
2.) • The snow
➡ collects and compact into ice
↳ forming glaciers
➜ which move downhill due to gravity 🏔️↘️
3.) • The glaciers
➡ eroded backwards towards each other
↳ removing rocks using the process of
➜ plucking and abrasion 🪨
4.) • Plucking
➡ occurs, as
↳ the ice freezes onto rocks on the backwall and when the ice moves
➜ it rips the rocks out 💨🪨
5.) • Abrasion
➡ occurs, as
↳ the rocks frozen in the base of the ice
➜ scour the landscape as the glacier moves. ⛰️
6.) • Freeze thaw weathering
➡ erodes the aretes
↳ creates steep jagged ridges ⚔️
7.) • Plucking and abrasion
➡ makes corries on sides of the mountain
↳ and as glacier erode backwards into the mountain
➜ the corries get bigger forming sharp aretes between them 🏔️🏔️
PYRAMIDAL PEAKS:
1.) • Snow
➡ collected in three or more hollows
↳ around a mountain 🏔️
2.) • The snow
➡ collects and compact into ice
↳ forming glaciers
➜ which move downhill due to gravity 🏔️↘️
3.) • The glaciers
➡ eroded backwards towards each other
↳ removing rocks using the process of
➜ plucking and abrasion 🪨
4.) • Plucking
➡ occurs, as
↳ the ice freezes onto rocks on the backwall and when the ice moves
➜ it rips the rocks out 💨🪨
5.) • Abrasion
➡ occurs, as
↳ the rocks frozen in the base of the ice
➜ scour the landscape as the glacier moves. ⛰️
6.) • Freeze thaw weathering
➡ erodes the top of the mountain
↳ creates a jagged peak⚔️
7.) • Plucking and abrasion
➡ makes corries on sides of the mountain
↳ and as glacier erode backwards into the mountain
➜ the corries get bigger forming sharp aretes and meet at a pyramidal peak between them 🏔️🏔️
How are ‘U-shaped valleys’ formed?
1.) • Snow
➡ compacts into ice
↳ forms a glacier 🌨️
2.) • Glacier
➡ forms on a north facing slope
↳ and moved down hill due to gravity
➜ eroding the sides and bottom of the valley 🏔️↘️
3.) • Sides
➡ are steepened by plucking
↳ where ice freezes onto rocks on the sides, and when the ice moves
➜ rips the rocks out 💨🪨
4.) • Bottom
➡ deepened by abrasion
↳ where rocks frozen in the base of the ice
➜ scour the landscape as the glacier moves 🪨↘️
5.) • The valley
➡ is also weathered above and below the glacier
↳ by frost shattering ❄️⚡
6.) • The processes of plucking and abrasion
➡ have steepened and deepened
↳ the original valley
➜ to make it U-shaped 🏞️
7.) • Interlocking spurs
➡ are cut-off by ice
↳ creating:
➜ truncated spurs ⛰️
8.) • The original river
➡ is now too small for the wider valley
↳ this is now a ‘misfit stream’
How are ‘truncated spurs’ formed?
1.) • There is a narrow V-shaped valley
➡ with interlocking spurs 🏞️
2.) - Snow ❄️
➡ builds up
↳ and compacts into ice: forming a glacier
➜ and moves down the valley due to gravity ⛰️↘️
3.) • The interlocking spur
➡ is then cut off by the glacier
↳ as it is eroded away by:
• ➜ ‘plucking’ (rocks freeze to the glacier and are pulled out as the glacier moves forward) 💨🪨
• ➜ ‘abrasion’ (rocks stuck to the ice scour the landscape as the glacier moves) 🪨🏔️
• ➜ ‘frost shatter’ (where water enters cracks in the rock, freezes, and expands which break the rock) ❄️⚡
4.) • The eroded interlock spur
➡ is then left as a truncated spur 🏞️
LAND USE MAP WORK:
Why is ‘sheep farming’ found on valley sides?
1.) • Thin soils
➡ poor grazing
↳ sheep can cope with poor nutrients 🌾
2.) • High up
➡ low temperatures and high rainfall ❄️🌧️
↳ sheep are hardy animals
➜ less likely to get foot rot 🐏
3.) • Steep slopes
➡ sheep are sure footed 🐏🐾
Why is ‘forestry’ found in valley sides?
1.) • High up
➡ low temperatures and high rainfall ❄️🌧️
↳ however,
➜ conifer trees grow well in these conditions 🌲✨
2.) • Acidic soils
➡ conifer tress
↳ also grow well in these conditions 🌲✨
3.) • Main roads and tracks
➡ allows trees to be transported out after harvest 🛣️🚛🪵
Why is ‘hydroelectric power’ found in valleys?
1.) • High up
➡ high rainfall
↳ allows more water to be collected and stored
➜ or to generate electricity ⚡🌧️
2.) • Steep slopes
➡ allow water to flow faster 🌊
↳ creating
➜ more electricity ⚡
3.) • Deep valleys
➡ allow more water to be stored 🚰
4.) • Low population
➡ means less people would complain or be displaced
↳ if a valley is dammed and flooded 🌊🏘️
Why are ‘wind turbines’ found on valley sides?
1.) • High up
➡ so wind will not be blocked 🌬️
2.) • Low population
➡ means less people would complain
↳ about turbines being an eyesore or noise created ⚠️
Why is ‘tourism’ found in all glacial areas? (5)
1.) • High up
➡ low temperatures and high rainfall ❄️🌧️
↳ increases the chance of snow fall ⛄
➜ allowing for skiing 🏂
2.) • Range of different slopes
➡ would allow for skiers of all levels 🏂
3.) • Steep slopes and rocky out crops
➡ would allow for
↳ • walking’ 🚶
↳ • ‘rock climbing’ 🧗♀️
4.) • Glacial landforms
➡ would allow for
↳ • ‘sightseeing’ 📸
5.) • Ribbon lakes
➡ would allow for
↳ • ‘water sports’ 🚤