Valley and Continental Glaciers

Questions and Answers

What is a valley glacier?

A glacier that flows into the ocean

A large, flat glacier

A long, narrow glacier that forms in a mountain valley (correct)

An ice sheet covering a continent

What is an arete?

A jagged, narrow ridge that separates two adjacent glacier valleys or cirques.

What is a cirque?

A bowl shaped basin carved by a glacier.

What is a horn?

A pointed mountain peak, typically pyramidal in shape, bounded by walls of three or more cirques. Signup and view all the answers

What is a glacial lake?

Large lakes left behind in long basins by glaciers. Signup and view all the answers

What is a moraine?

A ridge formed by the till deposited at the edge of a glacier. Signup and view all the answers

What is a kettle lake?

A small depression formed when a chunk of ice is left in sediment and then melts, filling with water. Signup and view all the answers

What is a drumlin?

A long mound of till that is smoothed in the direction of the glacier's flow. Signup and view all the answers

What is a U-shaped valley?

A valley scooped out in a U shape by a flowing glacier. Signup and view all the answers

What is a fiord?

Forms when the level of the sea rises, filling a valley that was previously cut by a glacier. Signup and view all the answers

What is an ice age?

Any period of time during which glaciers covered a large part of the earth's surface. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Valley Glaciers

Form in mountain valleys from the accumulation of snow and ice.
Characterized by a long and narrow shape.

Geographical Features

Arete: A narrow, jagged ridge created by the erosion of two adjacent glacier valleys or cirques.
Cirque: A bowl-shaped basin formed by glacial erosion, often found at the head of a valley.
Horn: A pointed mountain peak, typically with a pyramidal shape, formed by the convergence of multiple cirques.

Glacial Lakes and Landforms

Glacial Lake: Large lakes left in long basins after glaciers retreat.
Kettle Lake: Small lakes that form in depressions created by melting ice chunks left in sediment.
Moraine: A ridge composed of till, formed from materials deposited at the edges of a glacier.
Drumlin: An elongated hill of till shaped by the direction of glacier flow.

Valley Morphology

U-shaped Valley: Created when a glacier erodes the landscape, resulting in a distinctive U shape.
Fiord: Coastal valleys submerged by rising sea levels after being carved by glacial activity.

Ice Age

Defined as any historical period when glaciers covered significant portions of the Earth’s surface.

Description

Test your knowledge of valley and continental glaciers with these flashcards. This quiz covers essential glacial terms and features, helping you understand how glaciers shape the landscape. Perfect for geology students or anyone interested in earth sciences.