Question 1: Define the term 'glaciation'. What does it refer to in physical geography?

Answer: Glaciation refers to the process of land being covered by glaciers or ice sheets, involving the formation, movement, and melting of glaciers over time.

Question 2: Describe how a glacier is formed from accumulated snow to ice. Include at least three key stages.

Answer: Snow accumulates in cold conditions, compacts under its own weight to form granular ice called névé, and over many years, the pressure causes it to recrystallize into dense glacial ice.

Question 3: Identify and explain two ways glaciers shape the landscape through erosion.

Answer: Glaciers erode the landscape through plucking, where they lift rocks from the ground, and abrasion, where embedded rocks grind and scrape the bedrock as the glacier moves.

Question 4: List three landforms that can be created by glaciation and briefly describe how each is formed.

Answer: U-shaped valleys are formed by glacier erosion cutting through valleys; pyramidal peaks are sharp mountain tops carved by multiple glaciers; and hanging valleys are smaller valleys left perched above main valleys after glacier retreat.

Question 5: Explain the difference between a 'corrie' and a 'arete' in glacial landscapes.

Answer: A corrie is a bowl-shaped hollow with a lip, formed by glacial erosion, while an arete is a sharp ridge between two corries or glacial valleys.

Question 6: Describe the process of glacial deposition and how it creates landforms such as moraines.

Answer: Glaciers deposit material as they melt, forming moraines, which are ridges of till (unsorted glacial debris) left at the sides (lateral moraines), end (terminal moraines), or beneath the glacier.

Question 7: Imagine you are walking on a landscape that has been shaped by glaciation. Describe three features you might see and their characteristics.

Answer: You might see U-shaped valleys with steep sides, moraines as long ridges of debris, and cirques as bowl-shaped hollows with smooth back walls.

Question 8: Draw a simple diagram of a glacier flowing down a valley, indicating the direction of movement and key features such as the accumulation zone and the ablation zone.

Answer: A correct sketch would show a long, flowing mass of ice in a valley, with arrows indicating movement downslope, a higher accumulation zone at the top where snow collects, and a lower ablation zone where melting occurs.

Question 9: Using your own words, explain how climate change might affect glaciers and glaciation processes.

Answer: Rising temperatures due to climate change cause glaciers to melt faster, reducing their size, leading to less erosion and deposition, and potentially causing the landscape features formed by glaciers to disappear.

Question 10: Identify two ways humans are impacted by glacial landscapes, either positively or negatively.

Answer: Humans benefit from glacial landscapes through tourism and freshwater supply, but are also at risk from glacial hazards like outburst floods or landslides caused by melting ice.