❓ why
Why do glaciers leave behind huge rocks in unexpected places?
GlaciersGeology
Quick Answer
Glaciers can carry embedded debris long distances and drop it when the ice melts. Those isolated boulders are called glacial erratics.
The Full Story
As glaciers move, they transport sediment, gravel, and even giant boulders frozen into the ice or pushed along its base. When the glacier melts, it deposits these rocks far from where they originally formed. The result is a glacial erratic, sometimes sitting on bedrock that is completely different from the rock source. Erratics are useful clues for geologists because they show the direction and extent of past ice movement.
Key Facts
1.Glacial erratics are carried by moving ice
2.Erratics can be deposited far from their source
3.They help reconstruct past ice sheets
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Why are giant boulders sometimes dropped in the middle of nowhere?"