ADI Glacier Lab

Introduction:
Glaciers are large masses of snow, ice and rock that gather
in large quantities and begin to flow outwards and downwards
under the pressure of their own weight. Glaciers form when yearly
snowfall in a region exceeds the amount of snow and ice that
melts in a summer. In this way, massive amounts of material
accumulate in relatively small periods of time. In our
investigation, we tested to figure out how snow fall and
temperature affect the size of a glacier. Our guiding question
asked how do climate conditions affect the size of a glacier?

Method:
When we first opened up our simulation, we were given a set
of tools and a glacier. We could use any of the tools, such as a flag
or a GPS receiver, to measure the glacier in any way we wanted.
We were also given a few bars that controlled the average
snowfall and the average sea level air temperature. It was with
these tools that we would be enabled to manipulate the
simulation and answer our guiding question. We began by
resetting the glaciers age and pausing it immediately. We set the
sea level air temperature at a control of sixty-five degrees
Fahrenheit and started the average snowfall at zero feet. Next, we
ran the simulation and stopped it when it reached twenty-five
years in age.
Then, we placed a GPS receiver at the beginning of the glacier
and at the end. We recorded the distance in our data table before
increasing the snow fall of the total amount we could change it
to and repeating the process. After completing our data on snow

fall, we used our steps to find data on sea level air temperature
by setting the snow fall to a control of 3.1 feet, and we recorded
the results every of the total available temperature. We
analyzed our data by averaging the lengths and heights and then
examining both data sets for any patterns or trends.

Argument:
Climate conditions do have a major impact on the size of a
glacier. In fact, both temperature and average snow fall contribute
greatly to form a glacier.

Snowfall

1.2 feet

2.4 feet

3.6 feet

4.9 feet

Length

16, 864 feet

23, 688 feet

46, 620 feet

52, 100 feet

Height

1, 064 feet

1, 247 feet

2, 039 feet

12, 004 feet

Temperature

54 degrees

58 degrees

64 degrees

68 degrees

Length

52, 201 feet

56, 168 feet

46, 358 feet

15, 551 feet

Height

2, 039 feet

2, 067 feet

1, 684 feet

1, 755 feet

My tables say as average snowfall increases, the length and

height of a glacier increase as well. In the graph, one of the trends
is when the average snow fall is at 1.2 feet, the length of the
glacier was 16, 864 feet and the height of the glacier was 1, 064
feet. When we increased the snowfall to 2.4 feet, the length
increased 6,824 feet up to 23, 688 feet and the height increased
183 feet to 1,247 feet.

As the average temperature decreases, the length and height

increases. For example, when our average sea level air
temperature is at sixty-eight degrees Fahrenheit, the length of the
glacier was 15, 551 feet long, and height of the glacier was 1,755.
When we decreased the temperature to sixty-four degrees
Fahrenheit, the length increased to 46, 358 feet and the height
increased to
1, 684 feet. Likewise, when we decreased the
temperature to fifty-eight degrees Fahrenheit, the length
increased even more to 56, 168 feet and the height increased to
2, 067 feet! As you can see, our data proves both of these claims.
The colder and more snowy the setting, the more likely your
chances become to come across a glacier.
While finding glaciers in cold, snowy Alaska is easy, with its
generally hot and dry climate, you would not find a glacier in
Hawaii. Glaciers form better in some climates than others. In
areas where it is generally four degrees Celsius and below,
glaciers seem to prosper in the frigid climate. In contrast, a
glacier would recede if the usual climate remains warm.
Global Warming is an increase in the earth's average
atmospheric temperature that causes corresponding changes in
climate that may result in a dramatic increase in temperature,
more droughts, wilder weather, changing rain and snow patterns,
less snow pack, increased ocean acidity, thawing permafrost, and
more. Our data suggests that as the planet warms up, the
average snowfall will decrease and the average sea level air
temperature will increase. Glaciers will not be able to survive in a
warm climate- and they will eventually melt, increasing the
oceans sea level and eventually drowning coastal cities
worldwide. In order to stop the melting of glaciers, we can all take
little steps that go a long way. We can drive less, and take public
transportation or even ride a bike or walk to destinations near
you. We can also plant trees in our own back yards, replace
lightbulbs with compact fluorescent lights, recycle, and reduce

our hot water use! If we dont take small steps to a bright future,
we will face the consequences that come with the rise of sea
level, including the wipeout of Disney World.