Is Ice a Rock?

The ice in this glacier is a rock.

Is the ice in a glacier a rock? To answer this, let’s look at the qualities of a rock.

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Rocks are made of one or more minerals.

A rock occurs in nature. It is made of one or more minerals (a non-living solid that forms naturally and has a specific makeup). It is a solid (something that keeps its own shape and size).

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The ice in a glacier is solid and made of a mineral.

A glacier is a slow-moving block of ice. Glaciers form when snow is packed down year after year. Pressure turns the layers into a block of ice.

Is the ice in a glacier a rock? Let’s check. The ice occurs in nature. It is made of one mineral. The mineral is water. The ice is a solid. The ice in a glacier has all of the qualities of a rock. Yes, the ice in a glacier is a rock!

What Can You Do? Do you think an ice cube from your refrigerator is a rock?

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