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Unit 9 Possibel test Questions
Glacier System
42
Geology
Undergraduate 1
03/23/2009

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Term
What "recent" geologic event has had a profound effect on the entire Earth?
Definition
Last Great Ice Age
Term
What two "Texas geologice features" have formed since the last Ice Age?
Definition
Chihuahuan Desert, Padre Island
Term
How far to the East of Corpus Christi was the GOM Shorleline during the last IceAge?
Definition
50 miles
Term
Which large creatures use to roam the C.C. area during the last Ice Age?
Definition
Mastodons
Term
Describe the history of the largest snowfalls for C.C.?
Definition
in 1897 5 inches of snow
Term
What are snow flurries and how often do they occur in the Corpus Christi area?
Definition
light snow that melts befor reaching the ground or not enough to acculmate and every two years we get a few flurries.
Term
What is hail?
Definition
is more dangerous than sleet and it is bigger balls that can damage property
Term
What is Sleet?
Definition
frozen raindrops or pellets that bounce upon impact of object
Term
What is Freezing Rain? example?
Definition
is the rain that freezes as soon as it hits the floor/ icicles on trees
Term
What is frost?
Definition
a deposit of ice crystals fromed when water vapor condenses at a temperature below freezing
Term
Describe wind chill
Definition
based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin by the combined effects of wind and cold
Term
What other planet, besides earth, has polar ice caps?
Definition
Mars
Term
Which moon has evidence of icebergs?
Definition
Jupiter's Europa moon
Term
What is a glacier and how does it form?
Definition
system of moving (flowing) ice that form where more snow and ice accumulates each year than melts
Term
Define Glacial calving.
Definition
masses of ice that break of a glacier into the sea
Term
What does Glacial Calving produce?
Definition
icebergs
Term
How many glaciers from over sea ice?
Definition
none
Term
What fraction of an ice mass is below seawater for an average glacier?
Definition
7/8ths
Term
What are two major classifications of glaciers?
Definition
Valley(mountain or alpine)glaciers and
Continental glaciers
Term
Describe a Valley ( Alpine or Mountain )Glaciers?
Definition
ice "streams" confined to canyons and valleys of mountainous terrains (much smaller than continental glaicers)
Term
Define a Piedmont glacier.
Definition
valley glacier(s) that leaves a valley and coalesces at the base of a mountain.
Term
Explain a Continental Glacier?
Definition
Huge sheets of ice that cover a large part of earth's land mass.
Term
Where is at least one place where Continental Glaciers (Ice sheets) can be found?
Definition
Greenland and Antartica
Term
What are smaller continental glaciers( ice sheets)?
Definition
Ice Caps
Term
How much snowfall will equal an inch of rain?
Definition
10-12 inches of snowfall
Term
Generally, what percent of fresh snowfall is air?
Definition
90%
Term
Describe the two methods that snow uses to become granular ice.
Definition
surface thawing and freezing
and compaction by burial
Term
Can glacial ice be compared to a metamorpic rock?
Definition
yes it is a metamorphic rock
Term
How is Glacial ice a metamorphic rock?
Definition
The compaction (pressure) caused by the great thicknesses of ice can change sediment (snow) into a metamorphic rock (ice)
Term
What is firn? another name for it
Definition
snow crystals that change to granular ice and recrystallized (neve)
Term
What thickness must mountain ice obtain to form a glacier?
Definition
60ft
Term
What is the average movement rate for a glacier?
Definition
4ooft-800ft/ a year
Term
What is Firn Limit? (snowline)
Definition
the boundary between two above zones
accumalition and wastage
Term
Describe the formation and demise of glacial cervasses?
Definition
cracks or openings on top of glacier where it descends over extremely steep slopes or curves
Term
How long do glacial crevasses usually last?
Definition
a few days
Term
What is the difference between glacial striations and glacial polish?
Definition
Glacial striations are the same as glacial polish but glacial polish is bedrock that is grinded to a polish by fine grains
Term
How is rock flour produced and how does it end up as loess?
Definition
from a glacier the flour is made and it becomes a loess when it meets a river
Term
Explain the difference between U-shaped valleys and mountainous river valleys.
Definition
U-shaped valleys are formed by glaciers
Term
Describe a cirque and how is it formed?
Definition
A bowl-shaped depression produced by glacial plucking at the head of a mountain valley
Term
What effect has all this ice had on the landmass of Antarctica?
Definition
It pushed it down below sealevel
Term
What thickness of ice is found in Antarctica?
Definition
15,000 feet thick
Term
What are kettle lakes?
Definition
lakes formed by depressions left by large blocks of detached ice (continental glacier ) that later melted
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