While it is true that both glaciers and ice floes are large masses of ice that can be found in arctic regions, there is a major difference between them. Basically, glaciers originate on land, and ice floes form in open water and are a form of sea ice.

An ice floe is a large group of floating ice chunks that move together at the water's surface, typically in the same direction, driven by either wind or currents. Imagine a river as it begins to thaw with the current strengthening, causing sheets of ice to break apart and flow downstream – this is an ice floe.

What is the difference between sea ice and glaciers? Sea ice forms and melts strictly in the ocean whereas glaciers are formed on land. Icebergs are chunks of glacial ice that break off glaciers and fall into the ocean.

These walls of ice, often kilometres-long, are common in the Arctic because the wind piles up the densely packed ice floes to heights of 25 metres or more, particularly near the coasts.