Glaciers, wind and landslides reshape the land
Grade 9 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.
A classmate says a retreating glacier's ice flows back uphill. Which reply fits NPS, by Esme's reading?
- Correct; the ice freezes in place
- No; retreating glaciers advance faster
- Correct; retreat means uphill flow
- No; the face retreats as melt wins, but the ice still flows downhill
A student says U-shaped valleys are cut by rivers. Which reply fits NPS, by Jun's reading?
A V-shaped river valley beside a U-shaped glacial valley. A V-shaped river valley beside a U-shaped glacial valley. - No; rivers cut V's, and glaciers scour U's
- Correct; rivers cut broad U's through the valley floor
- No; creep carves the U's
- Correct; wind cuts U's
A distance bar with a rate and a time beside it. A distance bar with a rate and a time beside it. rate time distance A moraine lies 3 km below a glacier's face, which has retreated 15 m a year (example data). About how long ago was the face at the moraine, by Luz's math?
- About 2,000 years
- About 45,000 years
- About 200 years
- About 20 years
A dune migrates 12 m a year (example data). How long does it take to cross a 600 m valley floor, by Milo's math?
Use the picture in question 3.
- About 5 years
- About 7,200 years
- About 588 years
- About 50 years
A glacier flows 150 m a year (example data). How long does a rock riding on it take to travel 6 km to its moraine, by Noah's math?
Use the picture in question 3.
- About 40 years
- About 400 years
- About 900 years
- About 4 years
Four evidence cards, labeled A to D. Which evidence best shows a valley was shaped by a glacier, by Pia's reading (NPS)?
- Ventifacts and sand dunes
- A U-shaped profile, striations and moraines
- A V-shaped profile and a winding stream on the valley floor
- Curved tree trunks on the slopes
Striations on bedrock run north to south, and a terminal moraine lies at the south end (model data). Which way did the ice move, by Tala's reading?
Scratches on bedrock beside a glacier. Scratches on bedrock beside a glacier. glacier scratches bedrock - From south to north
- From east to west
- It cannot be told
- From north to south
Which summary of glaciers fits NPS, by Zee's reading?
A glacier with a cirque at its head and moraines at its sides and end. A glacier with a cirque at its head and moraines at its sides and end. - Ice flows downhill, carves U's and cirques, and drops moraines
- Ice flows uphill as it retreats, cuts V's and carves river bends
- Ice carves moraines and drops cirques
- Ice builds dunes and ventifacts
Which summary of wind's work fits USGS, by Ari's reading?
Wind lifting dust from a hollow beside a sand-polished rock. Wind lifting dust from a hollow beside a sand-polished rock. wind dust hollow sand-polished rock - Deflation lifts grains; abrasion grinds rock; dunes move downwind
- Abrasion lifts grains; deflation grinds rock
- Wind carves U-shaped valleys
- Dunes move upwind as sand climbs the slip face
Which summary of mass wasting fits USGS and NPS, by Bo's reading?
A slope with bent tree trunks beside a cliff with boulders at its base. A slope with bent tree trunks beside a cliff with boulders at its base. - Creep is fast, and falls are slow
- Gravity moves rock and soil downslope, from slow creep to fast falls
- Wind moves rock and soil downslope
- Gravity moves rock and soil uphill