* Glaciers are made of water: Glaciers are essentially giant masses of frozen water. They form from compacted snow over long periods.
* Glaciers move: The immense weight of glaciers causes them to flow slowly, like a very viscous fluid. This movement is driven by gravity.
* Glaciers carve the land: As glaciers flow, they pick up rocks and sediment, acting like giant sandpaper. This process, called glacial erosion, shapes the landscape in several ways:
* U-shaped valleys: Glaciers carve out wide, U-shaped valleys with steep sides, contrasting with the V-shaped valleys formed by rivers.
* Cirques: These are bowl-shaped depressions often found at the head of glaciers.
* Fjords: These are long, deep, narrow inlets of the sea formed by glacial erosion.
* Moraines: As glaciers melt, they deposit the rocks and sediment they carried, forming ridges called moraines.
Key takeaway: Even though glaciers appear to be solid ice, their movement driven by the power of water allows them to shape the Earth's landscape in dramatic ways.
