Physical geographyLesson 1 of 2 in the course Glaciers and periglacial processes

Glaciers: Formation, Dynamics, Landforms, and Climate Effects

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

Save course
Lesson progress
0 / 5

Your progress is kept in this browser only.Sign up to save it

Summary

Glaciers are moving bodies of land-originating ice that shape landscapes and store a large share of Earth's freshwater. This lesson introduces their defining characteristics, major types, and global distribution.

A glacier is a persistent body of natural ice that forms on land and moves under its own weight. It develops when snowfall and other ice gains exceed ablation, the loss of ice through melting, sublimation, or calving, over many years. Gravity drives the ice downhill, where it can deform and erode rock.

All flashcards

What is a glacier?
A persistent body of natural ice that originates on land and moves under its own weight.
What does ablation mean?
The loss of glacier mass, including through melting, sublimation, or ice calving.
How do an ice cap and an ice sheet differ by size?
An ice cap has an area under 50,000 km²; a larger glacial body is classified as an ice sheet or continental glacier.
What is an ice stream?
A narrow, fast-moving section of an ice sheet that transports ice through it.
How much of the world's freshwater is held by glaciers and ice sheets?
About 69%; seasonal meltwater can also supply ecosystems and people.

Quiz questions

  1. What long-term mass-balance condition allows a glacier to grow?Answer: Accumulation of snow and ice exceeds ablation.
  2. What distinguishes glacier ice from sea ice by where it forms?Answer: Glacier ice forms on land; sea ice forms at the ocean surface.
  3. Which glacial body covers more than 50,000 km²?Answer: An ice sheet.
  4. What is a glacier that terminates in the sea called?Answer: A tidewater glacier.
  5. Why might a very cold region lack glaciers?Answer: Snowfall may be too low for ice to accumulate over time.

Based on the Wikipedia article Glacier, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

More in Physical geography

All Physical geography lessons
Physical geographyGlacial Erosion, Depositional Landforms, and Lakes5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Physical geographyGeomorphology: Landforms, Processes, and Landscape Change5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Physical geographyErosion: Agents, Landforms, Rates, and Impacts5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Physical geographyFluvial Sediment Transport, Deposition, and Runoff Erosion5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Physical geographyMass Wasting: Processes, Slope Failure, Hazards, and Mitigation5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →