Glacial Periods & Processes Quiz

A large mass of moving ice and snow on land.

A large mass of compressed ice.

A period of cooler climate characterized by the advancement of glaciers.

A period of extremely cold temperatures when a large part of the Earth's surface was covered with massive ice sheets.

The forward movement of a glacier's toe when the supply of snow exceeds the ablation.

The movement of a glacier's toe back toward the glacier's origin when the rate of ablation exceeds the rate of supply.

The removal or loss of snow on a glacier. Caused by melting, evaporation, sublimation, wind erosion, and calving.

A geological interval of warmer global average temperature lasting thousands of years that separates consecutive glacial periods within an ice age.

A climate prevalent at a particular time in the geological past.

Changes in the shape of Earth's orbit and tilt that cause glacial periods and interglacial periods.

A measure of the quantity of solar radiation received on the surface of the Earth in a particular region or space in a particular period of time.

Global cooling trend last 50-60 million years. Cycles driven by variation in Earth's orbit around Sun through time. Results in different amount and distribution of solar energy. These variations affect growth and melting of ice sheets.

Ice caps reflect sunlight which leads to melting and exposed H2O which absorbs and retains sunlight. The warmer H2O melts more ice. A natural process that helps drive ice ages.

A period during which ice sheets reached their maximum extent.

A time scale established by geologists that reflects a consistent sequence of historical periods, grouped into four eras: Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic.

Called the Old Stone Age from 10,000 to 2.5 million years ago; where people were concerned with food supply; they used stone as well as bone tools; they were nomadic hunters and gatherers.

The early phase of human prehistory characterized by the presence of specific tool types such as choppers, bifaces, handaxes, and cleavers.

Cultural developments: jewelry, body painting, ritual; simple ceramics; and beginning hints of art.

Earliest remains of organized human settlements in the form of campsites (humans were establishing better settlements). Hunting was important since this time period was before the onset of agriculture. 50,000-10,000 years ago.

The middle part of the Stone Age; marked by the creation of smaller and more complex tools.

The New Stone Age; when people learned to make fire and tools such as saws and drills.

Phase in the early Neolithic period characterized by the introduction of new subsistence strategies and the development of permanent settlements.

Toward the late Neolithic period abour 5000-1700 BCE where fine gray and black pottery of elaborate forms were produced by cultures along the east and southeast coasts.