Assignment task: Glaciers Lab Greenland &Antarctica
A glacier forms when snow falls and accumulates over a period of many years. A glacier is considered to be a moving body of ice that occurs on land that flows down slope or outward from a central high point of accumulation. Evidence of past glaciers as well as current data tell us glaciers can be extremely thick, in some areas, reaching up to 3 km in some areas of Antarctica.
1. The average ice sheet thickness on Antarctica is 1.609 km. If the Empire State Building is 391 meters tall, how many times "taller" is the ice than the Empire State Building? (Hint 1: don't forget to convert to the same units first; Hint 2: divide the larger number by the smaller one)
2. Most of you are likely familiar with the fact that Texas is a large state (2TM largest state in the U.S.). Texas covers an area of approximately 269,000 square miles. The ice sheet that covers Greenland is approximately 656,000 square miles. How many times larger is the Greenland ice sheet than Texas? (Hint: divide the larger number by the smaller number)
i. The Antarctic ice sheet is 5.4 million square miles. How many times larger is the Antarctic ice sheet than the Greenland ice sheet? (Hint: divide the larger number by the smaller number)
ii. How many times larger is the Antarctic ice sheet than Texas? (Hint: divide the larger number by the smaller number)
3. The Statue of Liberty is another famous landmark in New York City that stands 93 meters tall. Scientists estimate that if the Greenland ice sheet were to melt, it would raise sea levels by 6 meters. What percentage of the Statue of Liberty would be underwater if the Greenland ice sheet melted? (Hint: divide the smaller number by the larger one and multiply by 100)
4. Scientists estimate that if the Antarctic ice sheet melted, it would raise sea levels by 60 meters. What percentage of the Statue of Liberty would be underwater if the Antarctic ice sheet melted? (Hint: divide the smaller number by the larger one and multiply by 100)