Types of glacier

Question 1

Name the 7 types of glacier

Answer 1

Niche 
Corrie/cirques
Valley
Piedmont 
Ice cap
Ice sheet
Ice shelf

Question 2

Which types of glacier are warm based?

Answer 2

Niche
Corrie
Piedmont
Valley

Question 3

Which types of glacier are cold based?

Answer 3

Ice cap
Ice sheet
Ice shelf

Question 4

What are the characteristics of a niche glacier?

Answer 4

Starting point for all glaciers 
High altitude 
Exposure of rock
Tip of mountain 
Mountainous areas
North facing slopes in the northern hemisphere therefore little melting so snow stays all year round 
Snow collects in little hollows

Question 5

What are the characteristics of a corrie glacier?

Answer 5

High altitude 
Exposure of rock
Tip of mountain 
Mountainous areas 
Small but gradually erode an armchair shaped hollow - which a steep back and 2 sides 
Spill over lip to feed valley glacier

Question 6

What are the characteristics of a valley glacier?

Answer 6

Confined by rock
Mountainous areas
Large masses of ice flowing from icefields and cirques
Impact on landscape
Moveable - like a conveyor belt
Rock deposits as frost shattering breaks rock off

Question 7

Explain the process of frost shattering

Answer 7

Top layer melts and gets into cracks of rock
When it gets cold the water freezes
The rock expands when the water freezes and contracts when the water melts
The continued contracting and expanding weakens the rock until it shatters

Question 8

What are the characteristics of piedmont glaciers?

Answer 8

EG - Malaspino 
Confined by rock 
Opens out at end 
Mountainous areas 
Large lobes spread out and merge on lowland

Question 9

What are the characteristics of ice caps?

Answer 9

Under 50,000km squared 
Huge flatted dome shaped masses 
Valley glaciers flow out 
EG - Vatnajokull - 8,160km squared
     - Eyjafjaliajokull - 77km squared