How I Work

The Glacier as a systme

What did glaciers influence during the ice age?

Every aspect of life, tempreature was low, they sucked moisture out of the air and influanced the weather.  Infulanced the movement of animals. They had to move due to lower levels of vegetation and moisture. They migrate to find new areas with food and water.

Why was it a tough time for human species to surivive?

Humans are very adaptable, they don’t need to evolve biologically they simply ned to adapt they’re behaviour.  The invention of the needle was a huge step forward for humans. It allowed them to creat clothes and shelter. Furthermore we have compatibility with each other and some other species. Energy was a large factor the more energy you had the more you could do, so people had a lot of children.

How does glacial ice form?

• Snow initially falls as flakes which have feathery and light structure.
• As snow accumulates, it compresses and turns into a more compact material called nave.
• Meltwater eventually seeps into any gaps and then freezes which results in even more compacting.
• As more snow falls, air is squeezed out of the lower snow by the weight of the upper snow and after a period of time (20-40 years), solid ice develops.
• When there is no summer melting, this process takes longer. In the summer, ice which looks blue means air has been expelled, whereas in white ice the opposite has occurred.
• The blueish colour ice is the type which moves downhill as a glacier.

The Glacial Systme:

A glacier is viewed as a systme as it contains imputes, storage/processes and outputs.

Glaciers are constantly changing as they adjust to various changes in climate. These changes are seen in the balance between the inputs and outputs and are known collectively as the Glacier Budget. This balance will eventually tell you if the glacier is growing or retreating.

Inputs – Snow and rain

Processes – Plucking, Abrasion, Ablation, Accumulation and Transportation.

Outputs – Meltwater and Moraine

Accumulation of glacial ice is as the ice gathers. This typically happens at higher altitude due to colder temperatures and higher snowfalls.

Aviation is the melting of the glacial ice and occurs at lower altitudes due to higher temperatures.

Key Words:

Inputs – Snow, rain and rock debris which enters the systme

Outputs – A loss of mass through meltwater and moraine and water vapour through evaporation

Processes – Ways glacier can erode, transport and deposit

Accumulation – When the mass of ice increases in a glacier