How does an alpine glacier differ from a tidewater glacier?

The correct answer highlights a key characteristic of the two types of glaciers. Alpine glaciers are typically found in mountainous regions and are confined to valleys, where they flow down through the surrounding terrain. They primarily remain inland, whereas tidewater glaciers extend to the sea and often calve, breaking off to create icebergs. This distinction is significant because it ties to the different environments these glaciers inhabit and the processes they undergo.

Tidewater glaciers, when they reach the coast, can calve dramatically into the ocean, producing large icebergs that float away, which is a defining feature not typical of alpine glaciers. This difference is essential for understanding glacier dynamics and their impacts on sea levels, ocean ecosystems, and coastal geology. Thus, understanding that alpine glaciers do not create icebergs while tidewater glaciers do elucidates fundamental differences between these two types of glaciers.