Glacial Landforms – Pyramidal peaks What are the sharply pointed mountain summits called that form when three or more cirques erode a massif from different sides, carving a steep, pyramidal peak?

Introduction / Context:
Glacial erosion sculpts dramatic alpine scenery. When multiple bowl-shaped cirques bite into a mountain on several sides, they can leave behind a sharply pointed summit recognizable in classic alpine landscapes.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Several cirques attack a peak from three or more sides.
• The resulting landform is a steep, pyramidal summit.
• We must distinguish among common glacial terms.

Concept / Approach:
A horn (e.g., the Matterhorn) is the sharp peak formed by headward erosion of multiple cirques. An arête is a narrow, knife-edge ridge formed between two cirques or glacial troughs. A cirque is the amphitheatre-like hollow itself. Medial moraines are linear debris accumulations formed where tributary glaciers join.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify the erosional agents: multiple cirques around a central high point.Recall definitions: horn = peak; arête = ridge; cirque = bowl; moraine = debris ridge.Match description to term: pyramidal peak → horn.

Verification / Alternative check:
Field examples from the Alps and Rockies show horns where three or more arêtes converge, confirming the geomorphic process.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• cirques: the hollows causing the erosion, not the resultant peak.
• aretes: narrow ridges, not the summit pyramid.
• medial moraines: depositional features on glacier surfaces, unrelated to summit shaping.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing arêtes (ridges) with horns (peaks) because both are sharp-edged glacial features; count of attacking cirques and the end geometry clarify the term.

Final Answer:
horns