High School Resource

Glaciers by PhET

This simulation will allow students to adjust mountain snowfall and temperature to see the glacier grow and shrink. they will use scientific tools to measure thickness, velocity and glacial budget.

Using the simulation, students will:

• Explain how environmental conditions (temperature and precipitation) impact glacial mass budget; identify where snow accumulates in a glacier and justify why.
• Explain how ice moves within a glacier; describe and illustrate flow within a glacier.
• Explain or illustrate (demonstrate) how glaciers
  • stay at equilibrium
  • grow/advance
  • shrink/retreat
  • form; compare climatic conditions leading to each.
• Determine and illustrate how multiple advance-retreat cycles affect the record of glacial end moraines.

Related NY State Academic Standards: MST4.C.ES.PS2.1 and MST4.C.ES.PS2.2!

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