OCR A Level GL - 3. OCR A Level GL 2.1b Physical Factors affecting glaciers Flashcards
What is weathering?
the breakdown of rocks in situ.
What are the climatic factors that affect glaciated landscapes?
- Aeolian processes 2. Precipitation 3. Temperature
What are the geological factors that affect glaciated landscapes?
- Lithology 2. Structure
What are the locational factors that affect the microclimate found in glaciated landscapes?
- Relief 2. Aspect
What are locational factors that affect the overall climate found in glaciated landscapes?
- Latitude 2. Altitude
What is mass movement?
the transport of soil, bedrock, rock debris or mud on steep coastlines usually via a rockfall, landslide, mudflow or slump.
What is glacial erosion?
the gradual destruction or diminution of something.
What is negative feedback?
negative feedback ensures that, in any control system, changes are reversed and returned back to the set level.
What is freeze-thaw weathering?
in the daytime, water enters rock cracks and freezes (so expands) at night. Continued expansion and contraction exerts pressure and cracks the rock
What is glacial erosion?
break-up and transport away of the valley floor and sides, caused by the enormous weight of a glacier and embedded rocks scraping away.
What is internal deformation?
glacier movement that occurs when ice crystals orientate themselves in the direction of flow and slide past each other.
What is a warm based glacier?
fast-moving, ‘temperate’, ‘alpine’ glaciers- meltwater at the base lubricates the glacier, reducing friction.
What is a cold-based glacier?
slow moving, ‘polar’ glaciers- glaciers are frozen to their beds, and little meltwater is available.
What is basal sliding?
movement of a glacier lubricated by meltwater below the ice- as pressure is great, the ice can melt at lower temperatures than normal.
What is glacier ice?
blue ice with trapped air, formerly snow, but compressed overtime, flows downhill.
