C
LIMATE HAS A STRONG
INFLUENCE ON THE
NATURE AND INTENSITY
of Earth’ s external processes.
This fact is dramatically illustrated
in this chapter because the existence
and extent of glaciers are largely
controlled by Earth’ s changing
climate.
F O C U S O N C O N C E P T S
To assist you in learning
the important concepts in this
chapter, focus on the following
questions:
What is a glacier? What are the
different types of glaciers?
Where are glaciers located?
How does glacial ice move, and
at what rates does it move?
What determines whether the
front of a glacier advances,
retreats, or remains stationary?
What are the various processes
of glacial erosion?
What are the features created by
glacial erosion and deposition?
What materials make up the
depositional features?
What is the evidence for the Ice
Age? What are some indirect
effects of Ice Age glaciers?
What are some proposals that
attempt to explain the causes
of glacial ages?
Glaciers continue to sculpt the Swiss Alps.
(Arno Balzarini/epa/Corbis)