Question 1: Define the term 'glaciation' and explain its significance in shaping physical landscapes.

Answer: Glaciation refers to the process of ice sheets and glaciers expanding and retreating, which significantly shapes landscapes through erosion and deposition. It is important because it creates features like valleys, fjords, and moraines.

Question 2: Describe how a U-shaped valley is formed during a glaciation period.

Answer: A U-shaped valley forms when a glacier erodes a pre-existing river valley through processes like plucking and abrasion, widening and deepening the valley into a distinctive U shape with steep sides and a flat floor.

Question 3: Explain the difference between a corrie and a arete, including how each forms.

Answer: A corrie is a bowl-shaped hollow formed by freeze-thaw weathering and glacial erosion on the side of a mountain, often containing a small lake called a tarn. An arete is a narrow, sharp ridge that forms between two corries or glacial valleys through erosion from both sides.

Question 4: Identify and describe three types of glacial depositional landforms.

Answer: Three depositional landforms are: (1) Moraines – accumulations of rock and soil pushed along or left behind by a glacier; (2) Drumlins – smooth, elongated hills formed under a glacier; (3) Kettles – hollows formed when blocks of ice are buried in sediment and later melt, leaving a depression.

Question 5: Explain the process of **freeze-thaw weathering** and its role in glacial landscapes.

Answer: Freeze-thaw weathering occurs when water enters cracks in rocks, freezes overnight, expanding and causing the cracks to widen. Over time, this process breaks rocks apart, contributing to erosion and the material available for glacial transport.

Question 6: Describe how a glacier moves, including the main mechanisms involved.

Answer: A glacier moves primarily through internal deformation where ice crystals slowly flow under pressure, and basal sliding where meltwater at the glacier bed reduces friction, allowing the ice to slide downhill.

Question 7: Draw a simple cross-section of a glacier showing the ice flow from the accumulation zone to the ablation zone. Label the key parts.

Answer: A correct sketch would show the glacier with the accumulation zone at the top (where snow compacts into ice), moving downwards towards the ablation zone (where melting and sublimation occur). The ice flow is depicted as arrows pointing downhill, with labels for 'accumulation zone', 'compression zone', 'ice flow', and 'ablation zone'.

Question 8: List and briefly explain three ways in which glaciers contribute to landscape change during a glacial period.

Answer: Glaciers contribute to landscape change through: 1) Erosion – carving out valleys and shaping mountains; 2) Transportation – moving large amounts of debris over long distances; 3) Deposition – leaving behind landforms like moraines and drumlins as the ice melts.

Question 9: Assess the impact of climate change on glacial landscapes and future landscape features.

Answer: Climate change leads to increased melting and retreat of glaciers, reducing their size and volume. This results in the loss of glacial landforms, rising sea levels, and the exposure of previously covered land, which can lead to new landforms and altered ecosystems.