Explanation

The frozen water on Earth is known as the cryosphere. The cryosphere includes all the frozen parts of the Earth, such as: Sea ice: Frozen seawater that forms blocks called “floes”. These floes can be up to 5 km wide and 5 m thick, and are moved by ocean currents and winds. Ice sheets: Huge pieces of glacial ice that are at least 50,000 km2 in area. The only ice sheets left on Earth are in Antarctica and Greenland. Glaciers: Found on high mountaintops around the world. Permafrost: Frozen ground in the soils of polar regions. Snow: Frozen water that is found mainly in Antarctica and Greenland. The cryosphere is a vital part of the global climate system and has a significant impact on it. The term “cryosphere” comes from the Greek word kryos, which means “frost” or “ice cold”.