Which type of glacier forms meltwater streams in mountain valleys?

• A. Alpine glacier
• B. Ice sheet
• C. Valley glacier
• D. Continental glacier

Answer: (C)

Valley glaciers form meltwater streams in mountain valleys because they occupy and flow down a valley, and the melting ice releases water that runs along the valley floor. The meltwater is guided by the valley walls, creating streams that follow the terrain. Ice sheets and continental glaciers are massive ice bodies that cover wide regions, not confined to individual valleys, so they don’t produce the characteristic valley streams. Alpine glaciers describe glaciers in mountainous regions in general, but when the glacier specifically sits in and moves through a valley, the resulting meltwater streams are a hallmark of a valley glacier.