Question

Difficulty: MediumLandform Development by Wind Action and Glaciation

Match each geomorphic landform listed on the left with its corresponding formation process and characteristic feature on the right.

  • VentifactA rock or pebble faceted, grooved, and polished by wind abrasion.
  • DrumlinA streamlined, elongated hill of unstratified till shaped by glacial deposition.
  • BergschrundA deep fissure formed near the headwall where moving glacier ice pulls away from stagnant ice or rock.
  • Seif duneA steep-sided longitudinal sand ridge aligned parallel to the prevailing wind direction formed by aeolian deposition.

Answer

Ventifact matches with 'A rock or pebble faceted, grooved, and polished by wind abrasion'; Drumlin matches with 'A streamlined, elongated hill of unstratified till shaped by glacial deposition'; Bergschrund matches with 'A deep fissure formed near the headwall where moving glacier ice pulls away from stagnant ice or rock'; Seif dune matches with 'A steep-sided longitudinal sand ridge aligned parallel to the prevailing wind direction formed by aeolian deposition'.
Each feature corresponds to its specific agent and mode of formation: Ventifacts are produced by wind abrasion on rocks; Drumlins are depositional hills of glacial till; Bergschrunds are cracks formed by moving glacial ice near headwalls; and Seif dunes are depositional sand ridges parallel to prevailing winds.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the agent of erosion or deposition for each landform.
Ventifact and Seif dune are created by wind action (aeolian), while Drumlin and Bergschrund are created by glacial action.
Categorizing by geomorphic agent reduces the matching search space.
2
Distinguish between erosional and depositional features for wind landforms.
Ventifact is an erosional feature produced by wind abrasion; Seif dune is a depositional feature resulting from sand accumulation.
Ventifacts represent wind sculpting, whereas Seif dunes represent wind accumulation.
3
Distinguish between erosional/fracture and depositional features for glacial landforms.
Drumlin is a sub-glacial depositional hill of till; Bergschrund is a structural crevasse/crack in the glacial headwall area.
Drumlins consist of till laid down under moving ice, while bergschrunds mark tension fractures near cirque headwalls.

Key Concept

Classification of aeolian and glacial landforms by agent and process (erosional vs depositional).
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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