Glacier basics
What is the term for a large mass of ice that slowly flows over land?
glacier
What type of winter weather precipitation is required to build a glacier over time?
snow
Where are you more likely to find a glacier: at the beach or on high mountain peaks?
What famous passenger ship sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg?
Titanic
Can glaciers exist near the equator if the mountain is high enough?
yes
Which frozen continent near the South Pole holds most of the world's ice?
Antarctica
What happens to snow when a glacier melts in the summer?
it turns into water
Which letter of the alphabet describes the shape of a valley carved by a glacier?
U
Is most of an iceberg visible above the water or hidden below the surface?
hidden below the surface
Do glaciers move fast like a river or extremely slowly?
extremely slowly
What color is pure glacier ice usually seen as when it is very dense?
blue
What covers more of Earth's land: desert or glacier ice?
glacier ice
What natural force pulls a glacier downhill very slowly?
gravity
What do we call a huge chunk of ice that breaks off a glacier and floats in the ocean?
iceberg
What famous movie franchise features an acorn-obsessed squirrel during the ice age?
Ice Age
What happens to sea levels when glaciers on land melt into the ocean?
they rise
Which giant island in the North Atlantic is mostly covered by a massive ice sheet?
Greenland
What term describes permanently frozen ground in cold northern regions that thaws as temperatures rise?
permafrost
What happens when an iceberg melts in saltwater—does it taste salty or fresh?
fresh
Which animal is famous for living on the sea ice in the Arctic: polar bears or penguins?
polar bears
What is the scientific name for the study of glaciers?
glaciology
What is the term for a long, narrow, steep-sided ocean inlet carved out by a melting glacier?
fjord
What is the name for the pile of rocks, dirt, and gravel pushed along or left behind by a moving glacier?
moraine
What is the specific word for the process when a glacier breaks off chunks into the sea?
calving
What is the term for a deep, dangerous crack on the surface of a glacier?
crevasse