Glacial Processes and Finger Lakes Formation

The Finger Lakes in New York are a series of elongated lakes formed by glacial activity over the last 2 million years. Unlike rivers that create V-shaped valleys, glaciers carve U-shaped valleys, which is evident in the Finger Lakes' profiles. Originally, these areas had V-shaped valleys formed by drainage from the Appalachian Plateau. As the Earth cooled, glaciers formed and advanced, carving deeper valleys. The last glacial retreat left behind U-shaped valleys that filled with water, forming the modern Finger Lakes.

What is the primary geological process responsible for the formation of the Finger Lakes?

• Volcanic activity

• River erosion

• Glacial carving

• Tectonic shifts

How can we determine that the Finger Lakes are of glacial origin?

• Presence of coral reefs

• U-shaped valley profiles

• High salinity levels

• Presence of volcanic rocks

What shape did the valleys in the Finger Lakes region originally have before glaciation?

• U-shaped

• Flat

• V-shaped

• Circular

Approximately how many times did glacial advance and retreat occur over the past 2.57 million years?

• Only once

• Exactly five times

• Less than ten times

• More than two dozen times

What is the significance of glacial till in the formation of the modern Finger Lakes?

• It has low porosity, allowing it to hold water

• It prevents water from evaporating

• It acts as a natural filter for the lakes

• It provides nutrients for aquatic life