Grade 9 Canadian Geography Practice Exam

Which term refers to a narrow crest with a sharp ridge?

Arete Arrete Drumlin Cirque

Correct Answer:

Arete

Explanation:

In glacial landscapes, a narrow crest with a sharp, knife-edge profile forms when glaciers erode the sides of a ridge from opposite sides. As each glacier wears away rock along its flank, the remaining crest becomes thinner and sharper, producing that distinctive knife-like ridge. This landform is called an arete (often spelled arête). It stands out as the sharp dividing edge between adjacent glacial valleys or cirques. By comparison, a cirque is a bowl-shaped hollow at a valley head, and a drumlin is a smooth, elongated hill formed by glacial deposition. So the term that describes a narrow crest with a sharp ridge is arete.

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