Geography Chapters

1. Continents and Oceans2. Biosphere3. Lithosphere4. Hydrosphere5. Atmosphere6. Latitudes and Longitudes7. Different Heat Zones of the Earth8. Longitudes and Time Zones9. International Date Line10. Motion of the Earth11. Effect of the Tilted Axis on Day and Night12. The Atmosphere (Composition and Layers)13. Weather and Climate14. Atmospheric Pressure15. Internal Structure of the Earth16. Rocks17. Earthquakes and Volcanoes18. Various Landforms (Mountains, Plateaus, Plains, Grasslands)19. Landforms Created by River System20. Landforms Created by Glacier21. Landforms Created by Wind22. Landforms Created by Groundwater23. The Indian Subcontinent Position, Extent, and Physical Features24. Climatic Diversity in the Indian Subcontinent25. Soil Resources of the Indian Subcontinent26. Agriculture in India27. Land Use Pattern of India28. Water Resources and Their Utilization in India29. Multipurpose River Valley Projects30. Transport in India31. Rivers of India

Landforms Created by Glacier

“Glaciers sculpt the Earth's surface through powerful processes of erosion, transportation, and deposition.”

Introduction

Glaciers are large masses of moving ice that shape landscapes mainly in cold regions. As glaciers advance and retreat, they erode the land and deposit sediments, forming unique landforms such as U-shaped valleys, cirques, moraines, and drumlins.

Landforms Created by Glaciers

  • U-Shaped Valley: Broad and deep valleys carved by glacier movement, contrasting with river V-shaped valleys.
  • Cirque: Bowl-shaped hollow found at the head of a glacier, often the starting point of glacier formation.
  • Arete: A sharp ridge formed between two cirques or glacial valleys.
  • Horns: Sharp, pyramid-like peaks formed when several cirques erode a mountain from different sides (e.g., Matterhorn in Alps).
  • Moraines: Accumulations of debris (rocks and soil) deposited by glaciers. Types include lateral, medial, terminal, and ground moraines.
  • Drumlins: Smooth, elongated hills formed under the glacier from deposited till.
  • Eskers: Long, winding ridges formed by sediment deposited by meltwater streams flowing under glaciers.
  • Kettles: Depressions or holes formed when blocks of ice melt leaving behind pits.

Glacial Erosion and Deposition Landforms

Erosional Landforms
  • U-Shaped Valleys
  • Cirques
  • Aretes
  • Horns
Depositional Landforms
  • Moraines (Lateral, Medial, Terminal, Ground)
  • Drumlins
  • Eskers
  • Kettles

Importance of Glacial Landforms

  • Influence on soil fertility in cold regions
  • Provide sources of freshwater from glacial melt
  • Tourist attractions (e.g., glaciers, U-shaped valleys)
  • Important in studying climate change and Earth’s history
  • Impact on human settlement and activities in mountainous regions

Summary Diagram

Erosional Landforms

U-shaped Valleys, Cirques, Aretes, Horns

Depositional Landforms

Moraines, Drumlins, Eskers, Kettles

Previous Year Questions

  • SSC CGL 2020: What is a cirque in glacial geography?
  • A bowl-shaped hollow formed at the head of a glacier.
  • RRB JE 2019: Which glacial landform is a sharp ridge between two valleys?
  • Arete
  • HSSC CET 2021: Moraines are formed due to which glacial process?
  • Deposition
  • SSC MTS 2018: What type of valley is formed by glacial erosion?
  • U-shaped valley
  • RRB NTPC 2020: Drumlins are associated with which glacial process?
  • Deposition
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