How do ice floes differ from glaciers?

While both glaciers and ice floes are large masses of ice found in polar regions, they differ fundamentally in their origin and composition.1

• Origin: Glaciers originate on land. They form through the long-term accumulation and recrystallization of snow and other solid precipitation that persists through melting seasons. In contrast, ice floes form directly in open water and are a type of sea ice.12
• Composition: Glaciers are composed of compressed snow that eventually turns into dense glacier ice. Ice floes are made of frozen seawater, which forms as crystals accumulate and freeze together in the ocean.13
• Movement: Glaciers are characterized by their ability to flow over land due to gravity and internal stress. Ice floes are mobile, flat masses of ice that drift freely on the ocean's surface.214