Eduqas A-Level Geography A110QS
Coastal LandscapesLandscape
Glaciated LandscapesLandscape
Changing Places
Water and Carbon Cycles
Global Migration
Global Governance of the Oceans
Tectonic Hazards
EcosystemsContemporary theme
Economic Growth and Challenge: IndiaContemporary theme
Economic Growth and Challenge: ChinaContemporary theme
Development in an African ContextContemporary theme
Energy Challenges and DilemmasContemporary theme
Weather and ClimateContemporary theme
Geographical Skills
Glaciated Landscapes
The glacial budget, mass balance and feedback
- 3 things to know
- Component 1 Section A
Overview
Glacial budget, net mass balance and equilibrium line.
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
What is meant by net mass balance?
Where on a glacier is the accumulation zone?
Questions from this subtopic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
Define the glacial budget.
Model answer
The glacial budget is the balance between accumulation and ablation over a year. A positive budget makes the glacier grow and a negative one makes it shrink.
- 2
What is meant by net mass balance?
Model answer
Net mass balance is total accumulation minus total ablation for a whole year. The figure is normally quoted as a depth of water equivalent.
- 3
Where on a glacier is the accumulation zone?
Model answer
The accumulation zone is the upper part of the glacier where snowfall exceeds melting. The surface there gains mass every year.
- 4
Where is the ablation zone?
Model answer
The ablation zone is the lower part of the glacier where melting exceeds snowfall. The surface loses mass and old ice and debris are exposed.
- 5
Define the equilibrium line.
Model answer
The equilibrium line is the boundary where annual accumulation exactly equals annual ablation. Nothing is gained or lost on that line over the year.
- 6
What happens to the equilibrium line as the climate warms?
Model answer
The equilibrium line rises to a higher altitude. The ablation zone grows at the expense of the accumulation zone, so the glacier shrinks.
Other ways to work this
The same content, four other ways.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Every question in Glaciated Landscapes, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
Or £46 a year, about £3.83 a month. Cancel anytime.