---
title: "Earth's Frozen Water"
description: "Understand the cryosphere and its role in Earth's water system — the cryosphere is all frozen water on Earth (ice sheets, glaciers, sea ice, permafrost, snow cover); polar ice sheets hold about 69% of"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/earths-frozen-water-mt_cMmG8VLbAp
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/earths-frozen-water-mt_cMmG8VLbAp.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

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# Earth's Frozen Water

Understand the cryosphere and its role in Earth's water system — the cryosphere is all frozen water on Earth (ice sheets, glaciers, sea ice, permafrost, snow cover); polar ice sheets hold about 69% of Earth's fresh water; if all polar ice melted, sea levels would rise over 65 metres; and the water cycle connects polar ice to the global system through evaporation, precipitation, and meltwater flowing into oceans

Subject: Science · Area: Polar Regions · Ages 9 to 11
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/earths-frozen-water-mt_cMmG8VLbAp

## Ready when they can

- Define the cryosphere as all frozen water on Earth and name its components: ice sheets, glaciers, sea ice, permafrost, snow
- State that polar ice sheets hold approximately 69% of Earth's fresh water
- Explain how polar ice connects to the global water cycle and what would happen if it all melted (65m+ sea level rise)

## Lesson: Earth's Frozen Water

You already know about glaciers and ice sheets. Scientists have one big word for every kind of frozen water on Earth: the cryosphere. It includes ice sheets, glaciers, floating sea ice, frozen ground called permafrost, and snow cover.

*(drawing: Out of all the fresh water on Earth, about 69 out of 100 parts are frozen in polar ice sheets.)*

**Example.** Zara imagines pouring all of Earth's fresh water into 100 cups. About 69 of those cups would be locked away as ice at the poles. Only the rest would be rivers, lakes, and underground water she can actually use.

**Tip.** Even frozen, that water is still part of the water cycle you already know. Sunlight warms the ice, some of it melts and evaporates, clouds form, rain falls, and meltwater rivers carry the water back to the sea.

*(drawing: If every bit of polar ice melted, scientists think the sea could rise more than 65 metres, enough to flood many coastal cities.)*

**Recap.** The cryosphere holds most of Earth's fresh water as ice, and it is still part of the water cycle: if it all melted, seas would rise over 65 metres.

## Practice

8 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Glaciers & Ice Sheets](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/glaciers-and-ice-sheets-mt_5_kErPeeNu)
- [The Water Cycle](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/the-water-cycle-mt_fhqVdj4BYr)
- [Polar Oceans and World Climate](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/polar-oceans-and-world-climate-mt_g1qgxmlJQ2)

## Opens up

- [Reading Ancient Climate Records](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/reading-ancient-climate-records-mt_olFzbawexJ)