MasteryExams
Geography • Physical GeographyEasy

In glaciology, what is a 'Cirque' (or Corrie)?

A. A narrow, U-shaped valley formed by continental ice sheets
B. An amphitheater-shaped steep-walled basin eroded at the head of a glacier✓ Correct Answer
C. A jagged ridge formed between two adjacent retreating glaciers
D. A mound of stratified sand and gravel deposited by subglacial streams

💡 Solution & Explanation

A cirque is an amphitheater-shaped, steep-walled basin formed through glacial erosion at the head of a mountain glacier, typically characterized by a rock lip at its downstream end. Other landforms listed, such as U-shaped valleys, are carved further downstream by the moving tongue of the glacier rather than at its source basin. Glaciology terms frequently appear in physical geography questions regarding erosional topography.

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