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Which characteristic best distinguishes a glacial deposit from a typical
fluvial deposit?
A. It contains only fine-grained sediment
B. It is commonly well sorted by flowing water
C. It may contain unsorted sediment of widely varying sizes
D. It forms only in tropical environments
Answer: C
Rationale: Glaciers can transport clay, sand, gravel, cobbles, and very
large boulders simultaneously. When deposited directly by glacial ice,
these materials are commonly poorly sorted. Flowing water generally
sorts sediment according to particle size and transport energy.
Large boulders transported by glaciers and deposited far from their
source areas are called:
A. Dunes
B. Glacial erratics
C. Eskers
D. Drumlins
Answer: B
Rationale: Glacial erratics are rocks transported by glacial ice from
their original geological setting and deposited elsewhere. Their
,composition may differ substantially from the surrounding bedrock,
providing evidence of past ice movement.
Which sequence correctly represents the progressive development of
glacial ice?
A. Firn → snow → granular snow → glacial ice
B. Snow → granular snow → firn → glacial ice
C. Glacial ice → firn → snow → granular snow D. Snow → glacial ice
→ firn → granular snow
Answer: B
Rationale: Fresh snowfall becomes compacted and transformed into
granular snow, then firn, and eventually dense glacial ice. Increasing
pressure and recrystallization progressively reduce pore space and
increase ice density.
Why does relatively dense glacial ice commonly appear blue or cyan?
A. It contains unusually large quantities of salt
B. It reflects only ultraviolet radiation
C. It has relatively little trapped air and preferentially transmits
shorter visible wavelengths
D. It is frozen seawater
Answer: C
Rationale: Dense glacial ice has fewer air bubbles than fresh snow and
firn. Light travels through the ice differently, with longer wavelengths
more readily absorbed and shorter blue wavelengths becoming more
apparent.
,Which process describes ice moving over its bed, aided by meltwater
and reduced friction?
A. Ablation
B. Basal sliding
C. Frost wedging
D. Saltation
Answer: B
Rationale: Basal sliding occurs when the glacier moves across its
underlying surface. Meltwater at the glacier bed can reduce friction
and facilitate movement, particularly when pressure and thermal
conditions permit basal melting.
Crevasses are most likely to develop where a glacier:
A. Moves across a perfectly flat bed
B. Experiences no internal stress
C. Flows over irregularities or steepens significantly
D. Has completely stopped moving
Answer: C
Rationale: Crevasses form when glacier ice is subjected to tensile stress
that exceeds its ability to deform plastically. Changes in slope,
obstacles, and differences in flow speed can create fractures.
The brittle zone of a glacier is located primarily:
A. At the deepest portion of the glacier
B. Near the glacier surface
, C. Only below the bedrock
D. Only at the terminus
Answer: B
Rationale: Near the surface, glacier ice behaves in a relatively brittle
manner and can fracture, producing crevasses. At greater depths,
pressure is higher and ice is more capable of plastic deformation.
The transition zone within a glacier separates:
A. Snow from rain
B. The accumulation zone from the ablation zone
C. Brittle behavior near the surface from deeper plastic deformation
D. Bedrock from groundwater
Answer: C
Rationale: The transition between brittle and plastic behavior occurs
with increasing depth. The upper ice can fracture, whereas deeper ice
generally deforms more plastically under pressure.
The most recent major glacial period affecting much of North America
is commonly associated with the:
A. Permian glaciation
B. Wisconsin glaciation
C. Jurassic glaciation
D. Cretaceous glaciation
Answer: B