What Is the Difference Between Sea Ice and an Ice Sheet?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. What is the difference between sea ice and an ice sheet?

The Big Idea

Sea ice is frozen seawater that floats, and an ice sheet is a giant thick layer of ice sitting on land! They are both ice, but they are very different. Let's compare.

Sea Ice

Step one: sea ice. Sea ice is ocean water that froze and floats on the surface. It is usually only a few feet thick.

Ice Sheet

Step two: the ice sheet. An ice sheet forms from snow that piles up on land and squeezes into ice over thousands of years. Greenland and Antarctica have ice sheets.

Seasons

Step three: seasons. Sea ice grows in winter and shrinks in summer. Ice sheets stay all year and change very slowly.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! Sea ice floats on the ocean. An ice sheet rests on solid land. Sea ice starts salty, but ice sheets are made of fresh snow. Sea ice comes and goes with the seasons. So one floats and the other sits.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Ice sheets are like frozen mountain ranges that cover whole lands. Greenland and Antarctica are the only two on Earth today. When floating sea ice melts, it hardly changes sea level, but ice from land does raise it. Freezer activities need a grown-up.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! With a grown-up, freeze a thin tray of water and a deep container. Check them the next day. Which one is thin like sea ice? Which is thick like an ice sheet? Ask a grown-up for help with the freezer.

Outro

Sea ice floats on the ocean, and ice sheets sit on land. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!