Mountain summits are often characterized by a surface composed of blocks of loose rock that is known as a ________, and which forms by ________.
A) nunatak; ice plucking
B) nunatak; frost action
C) felsenmeer; ice plucking
D) felsenmeer; frost action
E) roche moutonnées; frost action

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Felsenmeer is a German term that means "sea of rocks" and refers to a surface covered with angular blocks of rock that have been broken apart by frost action. This is different from a nunatak, which is a term for a summit of a mountain that protrudes through a glacier, and is often characterized by bedrock that has been smoothed and polished by ice. Ice plucking can occur on a nunatak, but it is not the process that forms a felsenmeer. Roche moutonnée is a term that refers to a bedrock surface that has been shaped by glacial erosion, and is not the same as a surface covered in loose rock blocks.

Mountain Summits Are Often Characterized by a Surface Composed of Blocks