The ¹⁸ O/ ¹⁶ O ratio in glacial ice reflects water temperature at the time the water evaporated.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The ¹⁸ O/ ¹⁶ O ratio in glacial ice does reflect water temperature at the time the water evaporated. Oxygen-18 is less abundant in water molecules that have evaporated from the surface of the ocean and been transported to a glacier, and this ratio is dependent on temperature at the time of evaporation. Thus, the ratio in glacial ice can provide information about past temperatures.

The 18 O/ 16 O Ratio

The ¹⁸ O/ ¹⁶ O Ratio