What is the difference between antarctica and arctic

Because sea ice has a bright surface, percent of incoming energy is reflected back into space. As sea ice melts in the summer, it exposes the dark ocean surface. Instead of reflecting percent of the sunlight, it absorbs 90 percent of the sunlight. As the ocean warms, global temperatures rise further. Their changes affect global temperatures and can even change ocean circulation.

Arctic sea ice extent underwent a strong decline from to and Antarctic sea ice underwent a slight increase, although some regions of the Antarctic experienced strong declining trends in sea ice extent. The solid lines indicate month running averages, while the dotted lines indicate the overall trend.

Units of extent are shown as standard deviations, which refers to the extent of change from the average. One of the most accessible and ready-to-use lesson plans for this topic was created by the Alaska SeaLife Center. In this lesson , students are asked to brainstorm what they already know about the poles, watch a short video produced by TedEd, and then create team Venn Diagrams that compare the poles.

Older students can brainstorm their own ideas to write and draw on large poster paper Pro Tip: Bring fun smelly markers in bright colors! They are always a hit. Just be ready to refocus kids if they get too distracted by the novelty. However, primary level students might need to be provided a pre-printed assortment of words and pictures to sort into the graphic organizer two overlapping hula hoops are a fun and different way to create a quick venn diagram.

Be sure to ask kids to share their finished products! View our curated list of the best Antarctica cruise lines. While originally published in March , this post is periodically updated by our team of experts to reflect the latest in polar travel; the most recent update occurred January Your email address will not be published. All fields are required.

Which polar region will you travel to first? Or are you still on the fence? Browse our many trips to each region for further inspiration and research. As the options are vast, we encourage you to contact us for a personalized recommendation from one of our Adventure Specialists. We are skilled at matching travelers with expeditions on either pole.

Company Company AdventureSmith Explorations is the global leader in small ship, adventure cruise vacations. Contact Us. Ask an Expert. Arctic vs Antarctic Travel Seasons One of the most basic differences between Antarctica cruises and the Arctic cruises is the travel season.

Antarctica vs Arctic Climate In the battle for extremes, Antarctica takes the win here. Ask a Polar Travel Expert. View All Polar Ships.

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