Mannat Bedi

23900460 HOUR:3
Glacier Project
1. Introduction and Guiding question
The guiding question we were asked was; how do different climate
conditions affect the size of a glacier? A glacier is a large chunk of ice,
formed by falling snow that collects over time, and moves extremely slow.
Glaciers can be categorized as valley glaciers- from high mountains or
continental glaciers- moving outward from the center of accumulation. In our
experiment we decided to test temperature and snowfall & how those
variables affect the length and depth of a glacier.
2. Method
First in our experiment, we tested the temperature. For every one
thousand years we increased the temperature. We chose one thousand
because it is a wide range of time and we can gather more evidence from
this. On our first round, the temperature was 56 degrees Fahrenheit, the
second 58 degrees, third 60 degrees, and fourth 62 degrees. Then, we
observed the length and depth of the glacier for every different temperature,
keeping the average snowfall at 3 feet. We then noticed the trend and
pattern of this experiment by looking at the data results; as the temperature
gets warmer the glacier starts to melt and get smaller.
Second, we tested how the snowfall affects the size of a glacier. For
every one thousand years, we increased the average snowfall. The first
round, we set the snowfall to 0 feet, the second 2 feet, 4 feet, and lastly 4.9
feet. After each round of setting the snowfall with the constant temperature
of 58 degrees Fahrenheit, we observed the changes it made to the size of the
glacier. I analyzed each set of data by putting them into a table and seeing
how the length and depth respond to the changing climate conditions. As
snowfall lands on a glacier the bigger the glacier will get. As you can see
each test responded differently to the increase in temperature and the
increase in snowfall.
3. The Argument
My claim is that when the temperature increases, the depth and length
of a glacier will decrease, creating a smaller glacier. My second claim is when

the amount of average snowfall increases; the depth and length of the
glacier will increase, creating a larger glacier.
When testing the temperature, we increased each increment by 2
degrees each time. The resulting effect was the size of the glacier decreased
each time, making the glacier smaller and smaller. When the temperature
was set to 56 degrees Fahrenheit, the first increment tested, the depth was
1,436 ft., and the length being 199,475 ft. The last increment tested was at
62 degrees and the depth came to 1,204.6 ft. and the length was 140,518 ft.
The second temperature tested was 58 degrees and the depth was 1,361.2
ft. and the length was 180,540 ft. The third temperature tested was 60
degrees and the depth was 1,204.6 ft. and the length was 162,241 ft. From
56 degrees to 62 degrees, the depth and length decreased consistently. We
realized that heating temperatures will lead to the melting of ice, like a
glacier, and will then lead to a smaller glacier. This trend in the data we
collected supports my claim that the depth and length of a glacier will
decrease as temperature increases.
Testing the snowfall, we increased the average snowfall going from 0
ft., 2ft., 4 ft., and then 4.9 ft. The data suggests that each time you increase
the snowfall, the depth and length increase as well making the glacier larger.
From 0 ft. to 4.9 ft., the depth and length increased more and more each
time. At 2 ft the depth was 1,125.3 ft. and the length was 140,420 ft. At 4 ft.
the depth was 1,460.6 ft and the length was 206,398 ft. At 0 ft. of snowfall,
the depth of the glacier was 0 ft. and the length was 787 ft. At the last
number tested, 4.9 ft., the depth was 1,510.3 ft. and the length was 224,081
ft. This was a major increase in both aspects, and showed that the glacier
became much larger due to more snowfall. When the amount of snowfall
increases, the depth and length increase as well. The more snow that falls,
will come together, compacting, and will form a larger glacier.
The data that we collected supports my claim that as temperature
increases, the size of a glacier will decrease. Also, when the average snowfall
increases, the size of a glacier will increase as well. Glaciers cannot grow
larger in warm temperatures. Warm temperatures will melt the ice and the
glacier will not be able to freeze. More snowfall allows the glacier to become
larger, because the snow will compact together, adding on to the depth and
length of a glacier.
This experiment correlates to real life and gives examples of how real
glaciers can form, and the types of weather conditions that glaciers can form

in. Our observations relate to valley glaciers and continental glaciers. For
both types of glaciers to form, they need snow and ice that exceeds at least
20 meters in thickness. Increasing global temperatures make it hard for
glaciers to form because the snow and ice is melting. The real-life scientific
concept that relates to our experiment is global warming. Global warming is
the increase of Earths temperature, which causes changes in climate. Global
warming may cause the glaciers to melt and the excess water may cause
flooding of coastal cities due to a rise in sea level. Also, the melting of
glaciers affects the size of a glacier, making it smaller in length and depth.

Temperature
(degrees
Fahrenheit)

56

58

60

62

60

62

Temperature

Temperature
(degrees
Fahrenheit)

56

58

Snowfall
Temperature
(degrees
Fahrenheit)

56

58

60

62

Depth (ft.)

1,436

1361.2

1274.5

1204.6

Length (ft.)

199,475

180,540

162, 241

140,518

Snowfall (ft.)

4.9

Depth (ft.)

1,125.3

1,460.6

1,510.3

Length (ft.)

787

140,420

206,398

224,081

Snowfall vs.
length

Temperature vs.

Snowfall vs.
depth

Temperature vs.
length