What is the difference between 'iceberg' and 'glacier'?
Are they the same?
An iceberg is a large chunk of ice that's broken off from a glacier. Here are the definitions from Dictionary.com.
"gla·cier
–noun
an extended mass of ice formed from snow falling and accumulating over the years and moving very slowly, either descending from high mountains, as in valley glaciers, or moving outward from centers of accumulation, as in continental glaciers.
ice·berg
–noun
1.
a large floating mass of ice, detached from a glacier and carried out to sea."
The terms "iceberg" and "glacier" refer to different formations of ice, so they are not the same. Let me explain the differences between these two terms:
1. Iceberg: An iceberg is a large piece of ice that breaks off from a glacier or an ice shelf and floats freely in the ocean or a lake. Icebergs are typically found in cold regions and can be enormous in size, with most of their mass hidden underwater. They often have a distinct shape, wherein only a small portion of the ice is visible above the water's surface.
2. Glacier: A glacier, on the other hand, is a large mass of ice that forms over a long period of time from accumulated snowfall. It is a continuous body of ice that moves slowly downhill due to gravity. Glaciers can be found in mountains or polar regions and can vary in size, from small to extremely large. They often carve out valleys, leaving behind distinctive features in the landscape.
To summarize, while both icebergs and glaciers are composed of ice, the main difference lies in their location and formation. Icebergs are free-floating chunks of ice in water, whereas glaciers are massive bodies of ice that move slowly over land.