* Abrasion: This is the process by which glaciers scrape and grind the Earth's surface. As a glacier moves, it picks up rocks and debris, which act like sandpaper to abrade the surface. Abrasion is most effective in areas where the glacier is thin and the ice is in direct contact with the ground.
* Plucking: This is the process by which glaciers pull rocks and debris from the Earth's surface. Plucking occurs when the ice freezes to the ground and then breaks away, pulling the rocks and debris with it. Plucking is most effective in areas where the glacier is thick and the ice is not in direct contact with the ground.
Glacial erosion can create a variety of landforms, including:
* Cirques: These are bowl-shaped depressions that are formed when a glacier erodes a valley head.
* Arêtes: These are sharp ridges that are formed when two glaciers erode opposite sides of a valley.
* Horns: These are pyramidal peaks that are formed when three or more glaciers erode the sides of a mountain.
* Fjords: These are long, narrow inlets that are formed when glaciers erode coastal valleys.
* Erratics: These are rocks that have been transported by a glacier and deposited in a different location.
