Lesson 1:

Formation of Glaciers

What you should know by the end of this lesson:

What is an Ice Age?
How do Glaciers form?

What is Glaciation?

Glaciation is the process by which ice changes the earth’s surface. We have had several

regular periods of glaciation across the history of the Earth.

3 million years ago
1.7 million years ago
10,000 years ago

Our last glacial period was 10 000 years ago with every glaciation period it is harder to identify the effects of the one before. As glaciers sweep across the landscape they remove soil and grind rock into different shapes. Think of it very much being like nature hitting the reset button on what the landscape looks like. Glaciers remove mountains in 1 area and recreate hills in another.

Glaciers and their effects still continue to carve our landscape. When we study glacial features we are looking at something 10 000 years in the making which still affects our lives today.

Our Last Ice Age

During our last ice age

Temperatures were 10-15 Celsius cooler than today
Ice sheets were 4 km thick
Glaciers (Ice sheets) covered the majority of Northern Europe (see diagram)
All of Scotland was covered so we are a great example of a Glaciated Landscape

Formation of a Glacier

Glacial erosional formations all follow a similar process when you describe their creation. You must describe how a glacier forms, then the processes and then the specifics of the features.

Digital Workbook and Paper Jotter

Copy out the notes for "Formation of a Glacier"

Formation of a Glacier

Snow accumulates in north-facing hollows when more snow falls in winter than melts in the summer
North and North-East slopes are more shaded so snow lies longer
As snow accumulates it is compressed down (neve) squeezing out air and eventually forming glacial ice
Glacial ice is really heavy and begins to flow downhill due to gravity.

Why The North Face?

The north face of a mountain in the northern hemisphere is always colder as it is hidden from the sun. which normally means it is harder to climb as the weather is a lot harsher.

The North Face named their company after the coldest and hardest side of a mountain to climb as their kit is designed to be there with you taking on the toughest challenge.