Glaciation occurs when layers of snow build up in areas over a long period of time. The Layers become compressed and form a mass of ice. Where this happens in the valley areas of mountain range, the layers form into glaciers that, over rime, move slowly down the mountainside. In the Polar Regions, vast frozen areas known as ice caps are formed.
Glaciers are sheets of solidly packed ice and snow that cover large areas of land. They are formed in areas where the general temperature is usually below freezing. This can be near the North and South poles, and also on very high ground, such as large mountains. Snow upon snow on the land becomes compacted and turns into ice. Think about when you make a snowball. You gather fluffy snow in your hands and then press it together. The heat and pressure from your hands make some of the snow melt. When you take a hand away, the liquid water freezes again. The fluffy snow has been compacted into a hard snowball.
Glaciers are formed in a similar way, but on a much larger scale. Sunlight melts some of the snow. Then it freezes during the night, or if the temperature drops. More snow falls onto the surface. Eventually, the weight of snow layers upon snow layers, and the melting and freezing, turns the layers into solid ice. If this ice forms at a high elevation, it starts to slowly slip downhill as an ice “river.” It is called a glacier. On flat land this ice is called an ice cap.
Ice can change the surface of the land. When you look around you, you may not see snow or ice that lasts all year long. That’s what it takes to make a glacier. More snow must fall in a region in winter than melts in summer. When this happens, the amount of snow builds up over time. It’s a lot like money in the bank. If you put more in than you take out, your bank account will grow. Glaciers work the same way. When enough snow builds up in an area, the snow on the bottom becomes compacted by the weight above, changing it into ice. You may have simulated this when making an iceball out of snow or crushed ice.
Picture Credit : Google