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Plucking is a type of erosion that results from the relative buoyancy of ice, combined with the material being "plucked". This can occur anywhere ice both 1) is in contact with soils/rock (or other material of concern, such as hard armor erosion control blocks), and 2) has the potential to be moved by some other mechanism, such as flowing water, gravity, or wave action.

For example, suppose a boat ramp is constructed on a riverbank. The boat ramp may be constructed of quarry spall rock between 3-6" in diameter. If the river freezes over the winter, the ice may be thick enough to encompass and envelop some of those rocks. In the spring, when the ice begins to melt, the flow of the river may initiate large chunks of ice to break off from the banks, including at the boat ramp; the rock removed from the boat ramp may be said to have been plucked by the ice.

This phenomenon can occur under glaciers, on rivers and Coastlines (on both oceans and on lakes) and even non-glacial ice where movement is induced (such as during an earthquake).

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Plucking is caused by?

ice


Will plucking occur if a glacier is NOT advancing?

Plucking can still occur even if a glacier is not advancing. Plucking is more influenced by the presence of meltwater and the freezing and thawing of water in crevasses than the overall advance or retreat of the glacier.


Which type of erosion is caused by moving masses of ice?

Glacial erosion is caused by moving masses of ice. As glaciers flow over the land, they pick up rocks and debris, scraping and carving the land beneath them. This process shapes the landscape through processes such as plucking and abrasion.


What is an example of a glacier moving boulder?

An example of a glacier moving a boulder would be when a large rock is picked up by a glacier as it flows downhill, and is transported along with the ice to a new location. This process, known as glacial plucking, occurs when the ice melts and the boulder is deposited on the ground.


How does plucking create U-shaped valleys?

Plucking is a glacial erosion process where ice lifts and carries rock fragments. As a glacier moves downhill, these rock fragments can become wedged in crevasses and cracks in the valley floor. Over time, the repeated plucking of these rock fragments by the moving glacier causes the valley to deepen and widen, creating a U-shaped profile.


How do plucking and abrasion grind through a landscape?

Gravity, Wind, Water, and Ice


How does the process of plucking cause erosion?

Plucking is a glacial erosion process where ice plucks rock fragments from the bedrock as the glacier moves. This occurs when the ice freezes around rock fragments and then plucks them off the bedrock. The process of plucking can deepen existing cracks in the bedrock, leading to further erosion as the glacier moves.


What is ice picking up rock?

When ice picks up rock, it is known as glacial plucking. As glaciers move, they can freeze onto rocks and then pluck them from the ground, transporting them as the glacier advances. This process helps shape the landscape by eroding and transporting rock material.


Would plucking most likely be the biggest problem for a coastal town?

No, coastal erosion from waves and tides would likely be a bigger problem for a coastal town than plucking. Plucking is a process where rocks are loosened and removed by glaciers or ice sheets, which are not typically found in coastal areas.


What processes are involved in glaciation?

Glaciation involves the accumulation of snow and ice over time to form a glacier. This happens through processes like snowfall, compaction, and the movement of ice due to gravity. Glaciation also involves erosion, transportation, and deposition of material by the moving glacier.


What is a slowing moving ice field?

The term for a slowly moving mass of ice is a glacier.


Do glaciers causes erosion through plucking?

Yes, glaciers can cause erosion through a process called plucking. Plucking occurs when glacial ice freezes onto rocks and sediments, then plucks them away as the glacier moves, causing erosion. This process can help shape the landscape by carrying material and depositing it elsewhere.