Which two landforms are typically formed by glacial deposition?

The formation of drumlins and outwash plains is closely associated with glacial deposition, which occurs when glaciers melt and leave behind sediment.

Drumlins are elongated hills formed from the accumulation of glacial till—unsorted material that glaciers push along their paths. As a glacier moves, it shapes the landscape beneath it, and when it retreats or melts, it deposits this material, creating the characteristic streamlined hills of drumlins. These features indicate the direction of glacial movement and are often found in clusters known as drumlin fields.

Outwash plains are flat areas created when meltwater from a glacier flows away, carrying with it sediment that has been eroded from the glacier itself. This meltwater moves across the land and deposits layers of sand and gravel as it slows down. The result is a flat plain consisting of well-sorted sediments, which can be quite extensive depending on the size of the glacier.

Together, these two landforms highlight the processes involved in glacial deposition, demonstrating how glaciers both shape the landscape and leave behind evidence of their movement as they retreat. The association of drumlins and outwash plains with glacial activity is a fundamental concept in understanding the geological impacts of ice ages on the Earth's surface.