Glaciers
What is a glacier?
A large mass of moving ice
How does climate change typically affect glaciers?
It causes them to retreat and melt
What happens to gravitational potential energy as snow accumulates higher on a glacier?
It increases
What is the term for the supercontinent that existed approximately 300 million years ago, containing all of Earth's landmasses?
Pangaea.
What type of rock is most likely to contain fossils?
Sedimentary rock
What type of glacier forms in mountainous regions?
Alpine glacier
What role do glaciers play in the water cycle?
They store water as ice
How does snow transform into glacial ice?
Through compression.
How are most fossils formed?
Through rapid burial in sediment
What does an index fossil help scientists determine?
The relative age of rock layers or other fossils
What is glacial till?
Rock debris deposited by glaciers
How do scientists determine the age of glacier ice?
What type of rock formation is created by glacial erosion?
U-shaped valleys
Which type of fossil serves as a guide for dating rock layers and is found across wide geographical areas?
What is an index fossil?
What is the name for the study of past life through fossils?
Archaeology
What is the primary difference between continental and alpine glaciers?
Their location and size.
What condition is necessary for glacier formation?
Snow accumulation
What happens to rocks and soil beneath a moving glacier?
They become polished and scratched.
What evidence supports the theory that continents were once connected?
South America & Africa look like puzzle pieces that fit together
What is the impact of melting glaciers on sea levels?
Sea levels will rise and some areas will be underwater.
What is the main force that causes glaciers to move?
Gravity
Which season would typically see the most glacial melting?
Summer.
What evidence suggests Earth has experienced multiple ice ages?
Glacial deposits and rock formations
Which type of fossil preserves evidence of animal activity rather than the animal itself?
Trace fossils.
What is a consequence of volcanic eruptions on the climate?
The ash and CO2 blocks sunlight from entering and traps in heat on Earth