Glaciers and Icebergs – Difference

Between Two Similar Terms

More than 60% of the world's water is found in glaciers and icebergs, which are massive ice accumulations. People sometimes confuse the terms "glacier" and "iceberg" when referring to significant snow accumulations since they mean the same thing. Icebergs and glaciers have a lot in common, but they're also distinct from one another in terms of size, shape, how they form, and other characteristics.

Let's compare here the difference between two similar terms:

What is a Glacier?

A glacier is not something that forms in a particular location throughout the winter and then disappears when the climate warms up. A glacier is an enormous body of ice that forms when snowfall rates are consistently higher than melting ones. It is an ice river that's moving across the terrain. However, ice does not appear to flow like water in a river. Instead, a glacier is an ice formation that remains permanently affixed to the soil.

What is an Iceberg?

An iceberg, or a large floating ice mass, can be found in any body of water where ocean or sea water is present. They are chunks of ice that break off glaciers and float aimlessly at sea. As a result of the influence of winds or ocean currents, they float in the sea. Dimensionally, they can range from tiny ice crystals to massive icebergs.

Difference between Glaciers and Icebergs:

Here are a few prominent differences between these two similar terms:

Formation:

Glaciers can take centuries to develop into their majestic forms. Over long periods, ice crystals grow more extensive, squeezing out air and producing dense ice from which glaciers eventually emerge. The average iceberg disintegrates within three to six years. A gigantic iceberg floating on the ocean will eventually melt away because it is made of ice and water.

Exposure:

A glacier's total mass is visible on land, but icebergs floating in the ocean can make a lake look like a lake. Of the total area, just 10% is above water, while the remaining 90% is submerged.

Size:

There are enormous icebergs out in the open sea, but nothing can compare to the sheer size of glaciers. In ahypothetical scenario,snowis depositedin layers and graduallybecomes compressed into solid ice over hundreds of years.

Variants:

Natural icebergs exist in various sizes and shapes, each a work of art in its own right. There are many different types of icebergs, including:

• Irregularly shaped glacier icebergs

• Blocky icebergs with flat tops and steep sides.

• Tabular icebergs with flat tops

• Pinnacled icebergs that resemble pyramids

• Dry-docked icebergs with their channels

• Tunnels caused by erosion

Glaciers are typically categorized by size, location, and physical characteristics. Typical varieties of glaciers include:

• Continental Ice Sheets

• Ice Cap

• Outlet glaciers

• Ice fields

• Tidewater glaciers