That's a lot of questions...
The land wouldn't be completely covered but the sea level would rise about 200ft so just about all coastal areas would be completely flooded. Obviously everything above that altitude would still be ok but the population would be squeezed into a much smaller area.
Millions of years ago the climate was much warmer and warm ocean currents circled Antarctica which meant that it was totally ice-free and inhabited by rich plant and animal life. At this time the sea level was generally much higher than it is today. At other times, during Ice Ages, much more water was locked up as ice at the Poles and the sea level was much lower than at present.
No-one knows what is under every part of the Antarctic ice but people have drilled down to the rock in a number of places. Any remains of lost civilisations or other such surface features are likely to have been crushed and ground to dust by the weight of millions of tons of ice. It is known that there are large coal deposits left over from the compacted remains of the plants that once thrived there and there are other mineral deposits as well. At least one prehistoric lake has also been found - frozen solid, of course beneath hundreds of feet of ice and snow.
The magnetic poles are gradually shifting all the time and many maps such as UK Ordnance Survey maps indicate the rate of variation... on the most recent map I have it states that Magnetic North is moving by 09' East each year. Historically a number of "polar reversals" have been recorded where basically the magnetic north and south poles swap places (282 times in the last 10 million years). This seems to happen quite suddenly and probably when the gradual shift reaches a critical balance point.
The main evidence comes from rocks produced from mid-ocean ridges which erupt as liquid magma and rapidly solidify retaining the magnetic field that they were subjected to as they hardened. From this it is possible to see that the North and South Poles have "flipped" and quite regular intervals for millions of years - and in fact in geological terms we seem about due for another such an event.
It appears that when the poles swap in this way there are often several rapid exchanges before the new arrangement is reached so that the North Pole may go N-S-N-S-N-S in a short space of time before sticking at the new reversed state. This would probably cause all sorts of temporary problems such as disruption to navigation and possibly interference with radio signals and so forth. As some of the rocks of the Earth contain a certain amount of iron which is susceptible to magnetic influences there may also be earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.
2006-11-02 01:55:32
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answer #1
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answered by Anonymous
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The sea level would rise noticeably (many feet), but by no means would it inundate all the land. Existing seaport cities would be in trouble, however. Borings and sonic studies have given a good picture of what is under the Antarctic ice; no lost civilizations there, as the ice cap antedates humanity. And it wasn't the poles that shifted, it was the continents, which are shifting even now -- Europe and the Americas are separating by roughly an inch a year.
2006-11-02 02:05:52
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answer #2
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answered by Anonymous
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The poles are in flux right now...stay tuned for more! They have determined that the poles have shifted many times before in earth's history. This will be the first time with man aboard. Should be interesting!
If the poles melted, we would have lots of problems. The movie "the Day After" is unrealistic in time line, but a very real threat.
If the salininty of the Atlantic currents gets too diluted, the circulation could stop & that would cause all kinds of climactic changes. None good.
2006-11-02 02:04:06
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answer #3
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answered by fairly smart 7
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Cookies & Cream Ice Cream
2016-05-23 16:32:09
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answer #4
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answered by Anonymous
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my answer for that question is that yes it will be all covered in water because is ice and what happens when ice melt it becomes water right so that's what is going to happen if it melts.
2006-11-02 02:12:18
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answer #5
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answered by Anonymous
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if that would ever happen that would mean the sun would be extremely hot,that would result in evaporation and neutralize the effect of any type of flooding,or "covered with water" as in your question.,
2006-11-02 01:57:23
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answer #6
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answered by Dfirefox 6
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I cant answer you now' I'll wait and then I'll send you the intire story...
but while waiting, let us educate these ill minded irresponsible young and adults who still beleives that they can get away with their crimes to mother nature.
2006-11-02 02:03:12
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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Then the US would be over flooded.
2006-11-02 01:55:40
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answer #8
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answered by Webballs 6
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