Glacier clues
Separate the motion of ice from the movement of its edge.
Before you jump in
A glacier can look motionless in a photograph while its ice is steadily changing shape and position. Cracks, rocky ridges, and an exposed valley floor each tell a different part of the story. Even the word retreat can mislead if you imagine a frozen river suddenly reversing direction. This quiz is about reading those clues carefully, rather than memorizing the names of distant mountain ranges.
Start with the transformation of snow and the forces behind glacier movement. Then work through the meanings of surface features, deposited sediment, and a changing glacier margin. The final questions ask you to separate two measurements that are easy to confuse: where ice moves and whether a glacier gains or loses mass. No current glacier rankings or forecasts are needed. Think in terms of processes, and let each observation answer only the question it can support.
What you’ll explore
- Snow becoming glacier ice
- Ice movement and crevasses
- Margins and mass balance
Distinguish flowing ice, a retreating terminus, and changes in glacier mass.
What makes a glacier different from a patch of long-lasting snow?
This is the opening question. Start the round to see the choices and test your answer.
