MasteryExams
Geography • Physical GeographyMedium

Which of the following glacial features refers to sharp, knife-edge ridges that form when two adjacent cirques erode backwards toward each other?

A. Esker
B. Arete✓ Correct Answer
C. Drumlin
D. Moraine

💡 Solution & Explanation

An arête is a sharp, knife-edge ridge formed when two adjacent glacial cirques erode backwards toward each other, carving away the rock wall in between. Alternative glacial depositional or erosional features like drumlins or eskers describe elongated hills of till or winding ridges of stratified drift rather than sharp mountain ridges. These sharp crests are quintessential indicators of severe alpine glaciation in mountainous terrains.

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