Final answer:
Glaciers transform valleys through erosion, acting like bulldozers as they move, and transport materials like rocks and gravel. These materials are eventually deposited, creating new landforms like moraines and outwash plains, and leading to the characteristic U-shaped valleys.
Step-by-step explanation:
As a glacier moves through a valley, it acts as a bulldozer, reshaping the land through a process called erosion. Glaciers erode the sides of the valley, breaking down rocks into smaller fragments and scraping the earth beneath them. This powerful action causes weathering of the surrounding rocks, where they are broken down into sediments such as rocks, gravel, and dirt.
The weight and movement of the ice lead to transportation of these fragments, which are then carried away by the moving glacier. This is a critical aspect of the glacier's role in shaping the landscape. Over time, as the glacier retreats, it leaves behind these materials through a process called deposition, resulting in the creation of new landforms such as moraines and outwash plains. The valley, once occupied by the glacier, becomes recognizable by its broad, U-shaped form, indicative of past glacial activity.