During a glacial period, ice contains ____ than seawater, while seawater has ____ than ice.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

During a glacial period, water evaporates from the ocean and falls as snow on land. This snow accumulates and compresses into ice over time. The lighter isotope of oxygen, oxygen 16, evaporates more readily than the heavier isotope, oxygen 18. Therefore, the ice that forms during a glacial period contains more oxygen 16 than seawater, which has a higher proportion of oxygen 18. Choice B reflects this difference in oxygen isotopes between ice and seawater during a glacial period.

During a Glacial Period, Ice Contains ____ Than Seawater, While