Chapter 22: Problem 10

Describe the various kinds of glacial deposits. Be sure to note the materials from which the deposits are made and the landforms that result from deposition.

Short Answer

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Glacial deposits, or glacial drift, consist of two types: Till and Outwash. Till deposits are unsorted materials dropped directly by a melting glacier, leading to landforms like Moraines and Drumlins. Outwash deposits are sorted and stratified sand and gravel dropped by meltwater, forming landforms like Outwash Plains or Sandur. These deposits and landforms, made of rock, sand, and gravel, offer crucial insight into past glaciological events and glacier impacts on the landscape.

Step by step solution

Define Glacial Deposits

(Glacial deposits, also known as glacial drift, are sediments deposited by a glacier. They are typically composed of a mixture of materials, including rock, clay, sand, and gravel, which have been eroded from the landmass and transported by the movement of the glacier.)

Discuss Types of Glacial Deposits

(There are two types of glacial deposits: Till and Outwash. a. Till: These are unsorted deposits that a glacier drops directly onto the landscape as it melts. The materials causing till deposits include rock particles varying in size from clay to boulders, often mixed together without layering. b. Outwash: These glacial deposits are sorted and dropped out by water flowing from the melting ice of a glacier. The resulting deposit, often stratified sand and gravel, has been sorted and carried along by the water, ending up in river bends or forming outwash plains.)

Describe Landforms from Till Deposits

(There are two significant types of landforms that result from till deposits: Moraines and Drumlins. a. Moraines: These are accumulations of dirt and rocks that have fallen onto a glacier surface or have been pushed along by the glacier as it moves. Moraines are found in ridges along the edge of the glacier. b. Drumlin: These are elongated, tear-drop-shaped hills of till that aligned in the direction of ice movement. The tapered end points towards the direction from which the glacier came.)

Describe Landforms from Outwash Deposits

(The main landform resulting from outwash deposits is called an Outwash plain or Sandur. Outwash Plain/Sandur: This is a plain formed of glacial deposits deposited by meltwater outwash at the terminus of a glacier. As the water leaves a glacier, it sorts out sediments based on size; thus, an outwash plain may contain a variety of sediment sizes.)

Conclusion

(Glacial deposits are significant geological formations that provide evidence of past glaciological events. Through their study, we can comprehend the movement, size, and impact of glaciers on the landscape. They are primarily composed of rock, sand, and gravel, transported and deposited by glaciers, and form various landforms, including Moraines, Drumlins, and Outwash Plains.)

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Describe the various kinds of glacial deposits. Be sure to note the materials from which the deposits are made and the landforms that result from deposition.

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Define Glacial Deposits

Discuss Types of Glacial Deposits

Describe Landforms from Till Deposits

Describe Landforms from Outwash Deposits

Conclusion

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