How are cold places affected by the warming planet

What is a glacier?

A large mass of ice moving slowly over land.

How do glaciers form?

Snow builds up, compresses into ice and moves under gravity.

What is glaciation?

The process of land being shaped by glaciers.

What is an ice age?

A long period of colder temperatures with expanding ice sheets.

What is climate change?

Long-term changes in Earth’s climate patterns.

How is climate change affecting glaciers?

Many glaciers are melting and shrinking.

Why are glaciers important?

They store freshwater and shape landscapes.

What is erosion?

The wearing away of rock and soil.

How do glaciers cause erosion?

Through plucking and abrasion.

What is plucking?

When glaciers pull rocks from the ground.

What is abrasion?

Rocks carried by glaciers scraping the landscape.

What is freeze-thaw weathering?

Water freezing in cracks, expanding and breaking rocks apart.

What is transportation in glaciation?

The movement of rock and sediment by ice.

What is deposition?

The dropping of material carried by glaciers.

What is glacial till?

Unsorted material deposited by glaciers.

What is a moraine?

A ridge of debris left by a glacier.

What is a terminal moraine?

A moraine marking the furthest point reached by a glacier.

What is a lateral moraine?

Debris deposited along glacier edges.

What is a glacial trough?

A U-shaped valley formed by glaciers.

How is a glacial trough formed?

Glaciers widen and deepen river valleys through erosion.

What is a corrie?

A bowl-shaped hollow formed by glacial erosion.

What is an arête?

A sharp ridge formed between two corries.

What is a pyramidal peak?

A pointed mountain peak formed by erosion from several corries.

What is a hanging valley?

A smaller valley left above a main glacial trough.

What is a truncated spur?

A steep cliff-like valley edge formed by glacial erosion.

What is an erratic?

A large rock transported and deposited by a glacier.

What is a drumlin?

A streamlined hill formed from glacial till.

What is an outwash plain?

A flat area formed by meltwater deposits.

What is meltwater?

Water produced from melting ice.

What is retreating glacier?

A glacier shrinking due to melting exceeding snowfall.

Why are glaciers retreating today?

Global temperatures are increasing.

What is sea level rise?

The increase in average sea levels worldwide.

How can melting glaciers affect sea levels?

They add more water to oceans.

What is biodiversity?

The variety of living organisms in an area.

How can glacier melting affect biodiversity?

Species may lose habitats and food sources.

What is permafrost?

Ground that remains frozen for long periods.

How does climate change affect permafrost?

It causes thawing and land instability.

What are the impacts of melting glaciers on people?

Flooding, water shortages and tourism changes.

Why are glaciers important for freshwater supplies?

Many rivers depend on glacial meltwater.

How can glacier retreat affect farming?

Reduced meltwater may limit irrigation.

What is tourism in glaciated areas?

People visiting cold landscapes for recreation.

How can climate change affect tourism in glaciated areas?

Less snow and ice may reduce tourism.

What is conservation?

The protection of environments and ecosystems.

Why is conservation important in glaciated regions?

To protect fragile landscapes and wildlife.

What is sustainable tourism?

Tourism reducing environmental damage.

What are examples of glaciated landscapes in the UK?

Eryri (Snowdonia) and the Lake District.

Why are glaciated landscapes important in geography?

They show how ice shapes land and how climate change affects environments.

What is an ice sheet?

A very large area of ice covering land.

How are glaciers linked to the water cycle?

Melting glaciers provide water to rivers and oceans.

What is a cold environment?

A region with very low temperatures for much of the year.

Why are cold environments vulnerable to climate change?

Small temperature rises can cause major environmental changes.