Watery Earth - Lesson 6

Glaciers

Glaciers form where the accumulation of snow and ice exceeds ablation.(Ablation means melting into the ground)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier#Formation

Glaciers are freshwater, because the salt from the ocean cannot freeze with the water.


No, humans can't use the water from glaciers easily, because all attempts to use it have either failed or were insanely expensive.

Polar Ice Caps

Polar ice caps are large areas of formed from seawater.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_ice_packs

The polar ice caps are made of glaciers so this means they are made of freshwater.


No, humans can't use water from the ice caps easily because you have to make fire to melt the ice and that is hard to do when you are in the arctic.

Floating Sea Ice

Sea ice form when frazil crystals float to the surface of the water, accummulate and bond together.
http://nsidc.org/cryosphere/seaice/characteristics/formation.html

Floating sea ice is not as salty as the sea water, because when the saltwater froze the salt was pushed out.

No, humans can't use the water from the sea ice, because it is to fragile and using fire would melt the whole piece.

Icebergs

Icebergs are composed of freshwater.(Freshwater frozen I figured was implied.)
http://www.aquatic.uogue
lph.ca/oceans/ArticOceanWeb/Snow&Ice/BergForm.htm

Icebergs are freshwater, because they are broken pieces of glaciers and glaciers are freshwater.


Yes, because icebergs travel long distances without melting, so it would be easier to melt in a plantation of some sort.