Lesson Y9-U04-L06

The Power of Ice: Glaciers and Ice Ages Quiz: KS3 Geography, Unit 16

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson Y9-U04-L06, The Power of Ice: Glaciers and Ice Ages: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Geography (National Curriculum), Unit 16: Year 9: Dynamic Landscapes: Tectonics and Ice, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What turns deep snow into dense glacier ice over time?

    • Pressure of weight
    • Strong winds
    • Volcanic heat
    • Acid rain

  2. What term describes a huge, slow-moving mass of ice flowing downhill?

    • Avalanche
    • Iceberg
    • Glacier
    • Moraine

  3. What is the term for a long historical period when Earth was much colder?

    • Interglacial
    • Drought
    • Heatwave
    • Ice age

  4. Roughly when did the last ice age peak?

    • About 18,000 years ago.
    • About 1,800 years ago.
    • About 180 years ago.
    • About 180,000 years ago.

  5. Which glacial erosion process happens when meltwater freezes onto rock and the moving ice rips pieces away?

    • Abrasion.
    • Plucking.
    • Weathering.
    • Deposition.

  6. Which glacial erosion process scrapes and smooths the land like sandpaper?

    • Abrasion.
    • Longshore drift.
    • Plucking.
    • Dissolution.

  7. Which valley cross-profile shape is typically carved by a moving glacier?

    • U-shape
    • W-shape
    • Flat line
    • V-shape

  8. What is an armchair-shaped hollow high on a mountain where a glacier forms?

    • Corrie
    • Estuary
    • Drumlin
    • Spur

  9. On a relief map, what does a tight ring of contours holding a small lake suggest?

    • A corrie.
    • A coral reef.
    • A sand dune.
    • A river delta.

  10. On an OS map, what feature is indicated by closely spaced contour lines?

    • Depression
    • Flat plain
    • River channel
    • Steep slope

  11. Which valley shape is typically carved by a flowing river rather than ice?

    • V-shape
    • U-shape
    • Circular
    • Box-shape

  12. Which process is most responsible for the jagged, steep back wall of a corrie?

    • Plucking.
    • Deposition.
    • Solifluction.
    • Abrasion.

  13. Why does a glaciated valley usually feature a wide and flat floor?

    • Tectonic faulting
    • Abrasion by ice
    • Deposition by wind
    • Wave action

  14. Which landform pair are both created by glacial erosion processes?

    • Moraine and drumlin
    • Corrie and valley
    • Drumlin and corrie
    • Erratic and till

  15. What glacial landform is indicated by widely spaced valley floor contours and steep sides?

    • Ribbon lake
    • Corrie
    • U-shaped valley
    • V-shaped valley

  16. Where was glacial ice typically thickest in a glaciated upland area?

    • Deep hollows
    • Valley edges
    • Mountain peaks
    • Flat lowlands

  17. Which physical feature provides direct evidence of past glaciation?

    • Sand dunes
    • Glacial deposits
    • Wave-cut platforms
    • River meanders

  18. What landform feature distinguishes a glaciated valley from a river valley?

    • U-shape
    • Floodplain
    • V-shape
    • Meander

  19. Which glacial process primarily steepens the sides of a valley?

    • Deposition
    • Weathering
    • Plucking
    • Abrasion

  20. Why is a relief map alone insufficient to prove past ice coverage?

    • Shows no height
    • Only shows rivers
    • Too small scale
    • Lacks age data

All KS3 Geography quizzes