Transcript How Glaciers Change Our Earth

How Glaciers Change Our Earth
5.7B
Thinking About Glaciers
Glaciers cover about one-tenth of the Earth’s surface.
Most of the fresh water found on the Earth is frozen in
glaciers.
Glaciers move very slowly and can cause very slow
changes to the Earth’s surface.
What are glaciers? How do glaciers form? How do
glaciers change our Earth?
Words to Know
• Glacier—a large body of moving ice that stays frozen all
year
• Iceberg—a large mounded mass of ice that has broken away
from a glacier and floats in the sea
• Moraine—a ridge of rocks left by a glacier
• U-shaped valley—low-lying area of land surrounded by
higher ground formed by the movements of a glacier
What are Glaciers?
Glaciers are large areas of ice and snow that move very slowly.
Where are Glaciers?
Some glaciers are in mountains. Some glaciers hang on
mountains. Some glaciers are in cirques, areas in mountains
rubbed away by glaciers.
Cirque Glacier
Hanging Glacier
Where are Glaciers?
Some glaciers are
in mountain
valleys. These
glaciers look like
rivers of ice and
snow.
Valley Glaciers
Valley glaciers move down mountains. As they move over the
Earth’s surface, rocks and dirt break off and are picked up by
the glacier. The rocks and dirt become part of the glacier.
Some glaciers are in mountains. Some glaciers hang on
mountains. Some glaciers are in cirques, areas in mountains
rubbed away by glaciers.
Some glaciers are in mountain valleys. These glaciers look like
rivers of ice and snow.