Earth's Frozen Water · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Earth's Frozen Water

Science · Polar Regions · ages 9-11
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Which of these is NOT usually part of the cryosphere?

    • Permafrost
    • Sea ice
    • Ocean currents

  2. Which word means all the frozen water on Earth, including ice sheets, glaciers, sea ice, permafrost, and snow?

    • The water cycle
    • The cryosphere
    • The atmosphere

  3. Polar ice sheets hold about 69 percent of Earth's fresh water.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. How does melting polar ice connect to the water cycle you already learned about?

    • Meltwater evaporates, falls as rain, and flows to the ocean like any other water
    • Melted ice disappears and leaves the water cycle forever
    • Melted ice only affects places right next to the poles

  5. Imagine all of Earth's fresh water poured into 100 cups. About how many cups would be frozen in polar ice sheets?

    • 10 cups
    • 40 cups
    • 69 cups

  6. Out of 100 cups representing Earth's fresh water, 69 cups are frozen in polar ice sheets. How many cups are left over as rivers, lakes, and other fresh water?

    Frozen inpolar icesheets69

    Answer: ______________

  7. A news report says melting glaciers and polar ice could flood coastal cities. Based on what you learned, about how many metres could the sea rise if all the ice melted?

    • About 6 metres
    • About 65 metres
    • About 650 metres

  8. Ben says, 'Permafrost is just cold dirt, it has nothing to do with frozen water.' What is wrong with Ben's idea?

    • Nothing, Ben is right
    • Permafrost is ground that stays frozen, so it is part of the cryosphere
    • Permafrost is a type of glacier
LightMySky · lightmysky.comW1-mt_cMmG8VLbAp-s1

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Earth's Frozen Water W1-mt_cMmG8VLbAp-s1

  1. Ocean currents · Ocean currents are moving liquid water, not frozen water, so they are not part of the cryosphere.
  2. The cryosphere · Cryosphere is the word for every frozen part of the planet, from ice sheets to snow cover.
  3. True · Most of the planet's fresh water is frozen at the poles, not flowing in rivers or lakes.
  4. Meltwater evaporates, falls as rain, and flows to the ocean like any other water · Meltwater joins rivers and oceans, then evaporates and falls as rain again, just like the rest of the water cycle.
  5. 69 cups · About 69 out of 100 cups would be ice, since polar ice sheets hold roughly 69 percent of Earth's fresh water.
  6. 31 · 100 cups total minus the 69 frozen in ice sheets leaves 31 cups of other fresh water.
  7. About 65 metres · Scientists estimate sea levels would rise over 65 metres if all the polar ice melted, enough to flood many coastal cities.
  8. Permafrost is ground that stays frozen, so it is part of the cryosphere · Permafrost is soil or rock that stays frozen for a long time, so it counts as part of Earth's frozen water.
Worksheet · LightMySky