how do glass ears shape the landscape glaciers are frozen rivers of ice which have immense power glaciers are so powerful they can carve huge chunks out of mountains as they flow downhill this makes them one of the most powerful natural tools on our planet glaciers are sometimes called nature's bulldozer just like a bulldozer glaciers shape the land in three ways firstly glaciers pick up material we call this erosion water flowing along the bottom of the glacier seeps down into the rock below when it freezes it opens up the cracks in the rock this is known
as freeze thaw weathering then as the glacier flows downhill pieces of rock come loose and the glacier pulls them along with it we call this plucking ouch these rocks and stones scrape along the glacier bed like sandpaper taking more rocks and stones along for the ride this is called abrasion secondly the glacier transports this eroded material as it flows downhill some of it is hidden inside or at the base of the glacier where it can't be seen but sometimes it is transported on the top of the glacier this is why glaciers often look dirty as
the glacier flows down a mountain it gets warmer and starts to melt just like a snowman anything which cannot melt is left behind as the glacier melts the rocks and stones fall to the ground we call this deposition by now this material is a tasty mixture of rocks stones sand and clay known as glacial till the melted ice turns into melt water and flows downhill to join a river or lake today glaciers only exist in the coldest parts of our planet but during the last ice age glaciers existed in the uk too although the ice
has melted they have left behind some awesome scenery as our planet warms up many of our amazing glaciers are melting fast so grab your walking boots and head to your nearest glacier while there's still time to see nature's bulldozer in action
