Mountains Flashcards
What’s the definition for Extreme environment?
An extreme environment is one where it is hard for people (or other forms of life) to survive.
Name 3 different mountain ranges.
- Himalayas
- Andes
- Alps
What’s the definition for Crevasse?
A crack or hole within the ice, often covered by loose snow on top.
What’s the definition for plate boundary?
Where two tectonic plates meet.
What is the definition for altitude?
The height in the sky, at higher altitudes it is colder and there is less oxygen.
What is the definition for precipitation?
Describes all the forms of water falling from the sky e.g rain, sleet, hail and snow.
What is definition for fold mountains?
Created when plate boundaries collide. These take place on collision and destructive plate boundaries e.g the Himalayas.
What is the definition of frost bite?
Frost bite is a medical condition where skin is damaged because of extreme cold temperatures.
Frostbite is most likely to happen in body parts farthest from the heart e.g toes and fingers.
What is the definition for glacier?
A glacier is only made of ice and it flows very very slowly.
A glacier is made up when lots of snow gets squashed into ice and then slides down a hill. Glaciers are really big and make massive impacts on the landscape.l
What is the definition of Accumulation Zone?
The start or top of a glacier.
What’s the definition of Ablation zone?
The end of the glacier. This may advance or retreat depending on conditions.
What is the definition of freeze-thaw?
Water gets into the cracks in the crack, as it turns to ice, it expands putting pressure on the rock until it breaks off.
What is the definition of plucking?
Ice freezes sticking to the rock, when the ice moves away due to gravity it plucks rock with it.
What is the definition of abrasion?
Material carried by the glacier acts like sandpaper on a giant scale, rubbing against the sides and floor of the valley.
What is the definition of a corrie?
Deep rounded hollows with a steep back wall and a rock floor.
What’s the definition of an arête?
A narrow knife -edged ridge, caused by corries on either sides.
What’s the definition of a pyramidal peak?
Formed when three or more corries cut back into the same mountains e.g Everest or the Matterhorn.
What’s the definition of glacial trough (u-shaped valleys)?
When a glacier moves down a V-shaped valley it erodes the sides to form a u-shaped glacial trough with a flat floor.
What is the definition of Truncated Spurs?
Formed when interlocking Spurs are removed by abrasion by glaciers to leave cliff like features.
What is the definition of hanging valleys?
Result from the differences in the rate of erosion between glaciers in the main and in the tributary valleys.
What is the definition of Animal adaptation?
Through the process of evolution animals/plants adapt to their local environment.
Can you name an extreme environment?
- Desert
2. Mountains
What is the earths structure made up of?
- Inner core
- Outer core
- Mantle
- Crust
What is subduction?
When the heavier Oceanic plate goes underneath the lighter continental plate forcing the continental plate up.
