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GCSE Geography · key term
A warmer interval between glacial periods when ice sheets and glaciers retreat.
Used by AQA, Edexcel and OCR
Specification 3.1.1.4 · Paper 1
Revise: Evidence for Climate ChangeThroughout it, Earth's climate has repeatedly alternated between colder glacial periods, when ice sheets expanded, and warmer interglacial periods, when ice retreated. The last major glacial period ended approximately 12,000 years ago; we now live in an interglacial period.
Specification 2.2 · Paper 1
A relatively warm interval between glacial periods, when glaciers and ice sheets retreat.
Describe the Quaternary pattern as repeated cold glacial and warmer interglacial periods, followed by recent warming—not continuous warming over 2.6 million years.
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During this period, Earth's climate has repeatedly alternated between colder glacial periods and warmer interglacial periods. During glacials, large ice sheets expanded across much of northern Europe and North America. More water was stored as ice on land, so sea levels were lower.
Paper 1
A warmer interval between glacial periods, when ice sheets retreat.
Revise: Causes and Mechanisms of Natural Climate ChangeDuring the Quaternary period, the last 2.6 million years, colder glacial periods have alternated with warmer interglacial periods.
Specification 2.1a · Paper 1, Paper 3
A warmer interval between glacial periods, during which glaciers and ice sheets retreat.
Revise: Evidence for Climate ChangeThe Quaternary period began approximately 2.6 million years ago and continues today. Its climate has repeatedly alternated between colder glacial periods, when glaciers and ice sheets expanded, and warmer interglacial periods, when they retreated. This was not a smooth progression from cold to warm: temperatures rose and fell through repeated cycles.