Crevasse splay

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/crevasse-splay

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the location?Glacier surfaces, particularly in regions with significant surface melt
2. What is the scientific relevance?Indicators of glacial hydrology, erosional processes, paleoclimate, and glacier mass balance
3. How does meltwater make a crevasse splay?Meltwater enters a crevasse, builds up pressure, widens the crack, and then rushes out carrying ice fragments and rocks that settle into a fan shape.
4. Why do crevasses form in glaciers?Glaciers stretch and crack when they move over bumps or turn, creating crevasses that can later be widened by meltwater.

Glacial Tectonics: The study of stresses and strains within glaciers that lead to fracturing and deformation.
Hydrofracturing: The process by which fluid pressure within a fracture exceeds the tensile strength of the surrounding rock or ice, causing it to widen.
Englacial: Pertaining to the interior of a glacier, as opposed to its surface or base.
Ablation: The process of melting and evaporation of ice from a glacier's surface.