Before we learn how glaciers change Earth’s surface, let’s learn how they move.
Click the link to watch the 7 minute video clip to learn how the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, Alaska moves.
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Question 13
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Other Answer Choices:
deposition
weather
U-shaped
rock
wide
steep sides
flat along the bottom
ice
erode
TEXT: BREAK IT & MOVE IT
Glaciers could never make the track team. Most of them move too slowly – only 25 centimeters a day. They creep along, changing everything underneath them. Glaciers melt and refreeze which weakens the structure of the rocks in and under them. Great force from a glacier’s weight presses down on the rocks. Glaciers weather (break down) rocks as they move.
Force from the weight, along with melting and refreezing, moves the ice along. Water that melts from the glacier collects below and also helps the heavy ice to move. It carries and pushes the weathered rocks. The glacier erodes (moves) rocks from their original place. These weathered and eroded rocks can be found hundreds of miles away. This is called deposition (adding sediments to land).
As a glacier weathers and erodes the land in its path, it carves out a specific kind of valley. Because glaciers are wide, their valleys are U-shaped, with steep sides and a round valley floor. Glaciers may not be fast, but they are stronger than the whole weight-lifting team.
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How Glaciers Carve U-Shaped Valleys
Imagine a massive river of ice slowly moving down a mountain, so heavy and powerful that it can reshape entire landscapes. That's exactly what glaciers do! These incredible ice giants are like nature's sculptors, and one of their most impressive masterpieces is the U-shaped valley.
What is a U-Shaped Valley?
A U-shaped valley looks exactly like its name suggests - it has steep, nearly vertical sides and a flat, wide bottom, just like the letter "U". Unlike V-shaped valleys carved by rivers, which have pointy, sloping sides, glacier valleys are much wider and more dramatically shaped.
How Do Glaciers Create These Valleys?
Glaciers are extremely powerful. As they move slowly down a mountain, they do three important things:
Scrape the ground: The massive weight of the glacier presses down on rocks and soil.
Carry rocks: As the glacier moves, it picks up rocks and carries them along.
Erode the landscape: These rocks act like sandpaper, grinding away at the mountain sides and bottom.
Over hundreds or even thousands of years, the glacier cuts deeper and wider, creating a broad, U-shaped valley. When the glacier eventually melts, it leaves behind this distinctive landscape.
Real-World Examples
You can find U-shaped valleys in many mountainous regions around the world. Some famous examples include:
Yosemite Valley in California, USA
Glacier National Park in Montana, USA
The Norwegian fjords
Many valleys in the Alps of Switzerland and France
A Slow but Powerful Sculptor
Glaciers might move slowly - sometimes just 25 centimeters per day - but they are incredibly strong. They can reshape entire mountain landscapes, turning rough, jagged terrain into smooth, wide valleys that tell the story of Earth's incredible geological history.
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Glaciers, massive chunks of ________ that move very slowly, have changed Earth’s surface over time. They change the land through weathering, erosion, and _______________ .
Glaciers break down, or ____________, rocks in sediments as they slowly move. They __________ , or carry, those sediments to a new place.
When glaciers deposit sediments and rocks in a new place, they form moraines. Moraines
are piles of soil and _________ left behind by glaciers.
Glaciers can form _____________ valleys. These valleys are formed due to weathering and erosion. The valleys are _________ and __________________________. The valleys have ________________ .
Glaciers have been changing Earth’s surface for many years, leaving us with interesting
landforms.
How fast do most glaciers typically move?
25 meters a day
25 kilometers a day
25 centimeters a day
25 millimeters a day
What happens when glaciers melt and refreeze?
They move faster
They weaken the structure of rocks
They become lighter
They create new rocks
What type of valley shape is created by glaciers?
V-shaped
O-shaped
U-shaped
W-shaped
What process describes when glaciers add sediments to land?
Erosion
Weathering
Deposition
Compression
Which factor helps the heavy ice of a glacier to move?
Wind pressure
Melted water collecting below
Heat from the sun
Plant growth underneath
When a glacier moves, what happens to the rocks it encounters?
They are dissolved by the ice
They are carried and pushed along
They remain in their original position
They float on top of the glacier
How does the freeze-thaw cycle affect glacier movement?
It stops the glacier completely
It makes the glacier move backwards
It helps break down rocks and aids movement
It only affects glacier size, not movement
How long does it take for the new ice in the ice field to make it to the lake in the video.
200 minutes
200 days
200 months
200 years
What shape do glacier valleys typically resemble?
V-shape
U-shape
O-shape
L-shape
How do glaciers help create these valleys?
By melting quickly
By moving very fast
By scraping, carrying, and eroding rocks
By creating new rocks
What makes the rocks in a glacier act like sandpaper?
The glacier's heat
The glacier's wind
The rocks being carried by the glacier
The glacier's color
Which of these is a real-world example of a U-shaped valley?