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Glaciers: Hot Topic, Cool Chemistry
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To promote the positive role that chemistry plays in the world, ACS established the Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW) public awareness campaign. During CCEW, ACS members and chemistry enthusiasts celebrate by coordinating events and communicating the importance of chemistry.
As a part of the American Chemical Society's "Chemists Celebrate Earth Week", the Thomas Edison National Historical Park is hosting a talk about the cool chemistry of a hot topic: glaciers!
Glaciers are sheets of ice formed by snow falling on them more than melting. Over many years, the snow gets packed into ice, to form the large structures we see when we visit places like Antarctica and Greenland.
Glaciers are important for many reasons. They store a lot of fresh water. Snow adds to this stored water, and in warmer weather, some of the ice melts into fresh water. Glaciers are heavy and slide slowly downhill, shaping the land as they move. Their snowy surfaces reflect sunlight, which helps keep the Earth from getting too hot.
Scientists usually expect glaciers to change slowly over a long time. Studies show that glaciers are changing faster than before.
- Did you know that over two-thirds of world’s fresh water is frozen in glaciers?
- Did you know glaciers keep the earth from becoming too warm? They reflect sunlight away and keep the earth comfortable enough for us to live in.
Learn about these fun facts and more!
Note: This event will be in Building 11 at the Laboratory Complex.
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