GCSE Geography - Glaciation Key terms

abrasion

erosion caused by rocks and boulders embedded in the base of a glacier acting like sandpaper, scratching and scraping the rock below

bulldozing

process where ice pushes material of all shapes and sizes as it moves slowly forward

arete

a sharp, knife - like ridge formed between two carries due to erosion and freeze thaw weathering

conservation

managing the environment to preserve, protect and restore it

corrie/ cirque

an armchair shaped hollow on a mountainside formed by glacial erosion, rotational slip, and freeze thaw weathering. when the ie melts it may leave a circular lake called a tarn

Drumlin

an oval or elongated hill made of glacial till, shaped by the movement of a glacier. The long axis runs parallel to the direction of ice flow

erratics

large rocks transported and deposited by a glacier, found far from their source area

freeze- thaw weathering (frost shattering)

occurs when water enters cracks in rocks during warmer temperatures and freezes at night. As the ice expands it breaks the rock apart

glacial trough

A U-shaped valley formed by the erosive action of a glacier, replacing the original v-shape of a river valley

hanging valley

a tributary valley left higher than the main glacial trough often featuring a waterfall where it joins the main valley

land use conflics

disagreements between different users or stakeholders over how land should be used

moraine

accumulations of rockk and debris (till) transported and deposited by a glacier. Can form various landforms such as terminal or lateral moraines

outwash

sorted and rounded material (like sand or gravel) deposited by meltwater streams in front or under the glacier

plucking

a type of glacial erosion where meltwater freezes onto rock and as the glacier moves, it pulls pieces of rock away

pyramidal peak

a shaarple pointed mountain peak formed hen several carries erode back towards each other

ribbon lake

a long narrow lake in the glaciated valley formed where the glacier eroded more deeply due to softer rock or added ice from a tributary glacier

rotational slip

the circular movement of ice within a corrie that helps erode and deepened the hollow into a bowl shape

till

an unsorted mixture of materials like sand, clay and boulders deposited by a glacier as ground moraine

truncated spur

a former river valley spur that has been cut off (truncated) by the action of a valley glacier forming steep, cliff-like edges