How Does a Glacier Form High on a Mountain?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. How does a glacier form high on a mountain?

The Big Idea

A glacier forms in high places where more snow falls in winter than melts in summer. Year after year, the snow piles up and gets squashed by its own weight. Eventually it turns into ice that slowly flows downhill, like a very slow river.

Snow Piles Up

Step one: snow piles up. In some cold, high places, summer cannot melt all of the winter snow. So each year, a new layer is added on top of the old ones.

Squash Into Ice

Step two: the snow gets squashed. The weight of the snow above squeezes the snow below into grainy firn, and then into dense blue-white ice. This slow change can take decades, or even hundreds of years.

It Starts to Flow

Step three: the ice starts to flow. When the ice gets thick enough, gravity makes it creep downhill. That slowly moving river of ice is a glacier.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look at how snow becomes ice! Fresh snow is light, fluffy, and full of air. Then it becomes firn, which is old, grainy snow. Under more weight, the air is squeezed out, and it turns into dense blue-white ice. Finally, gravity makes that ice flow slowly downhill.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! It can take decades or even hundreds of years for snow to turn into glacier ice. The ice looks blue because it is so dense. Glaciers flow only a little each day. Admire glaciers from a safe distance with grown-ups.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Pack a handful of fresh snow or crushed ice tightly in your hands. Does it get harder and clearer? That is how glacier ice forms, only much slower. Keep your mittens on, and tell a grown-up what you found.

Outro

A glacier is snow that grew up into ice. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!