if water expands when it turns to ice, why does the sea level rise when the polar ice caps melt?

Answer 1

It is so obvious.
It is not the existing sea water which melts, and consequently increases its volume, it is extra water that was not part of the sea before, but was a separated block, which now sums up to the sea water.

Answer 2

In addition to some of the answers above you'll also notice that around 10% or more of an ice berg is above water level and that the polar ice caps have an even higher percentage above the water level. When water turns to ice it doesn't expand by 10% so by simple maths it would be prudent to say that melted icce caps will increase the water levels.
Also to those that mention global warming - I think you'll find the term is now climate change - the term was changed because too many thick people seem to think that global warming just means we'll all be a little warmer!

Answer 3

Won't make much difference when the North pole melts. However the events that lead to its melting would also affect the S Pole, glaciers and snow capped mountains. These would add to the overall sea volume, hence the theory about sea levels rising.

More- the extra fresh water (from the ice) would affect the oceans currents causing further weather changes. Even the best mathematical models cannot account for all the possible variations, this causes confusion and disagreement even amongst scientists.

Most agree there is a problem but cannot agree on the way to the solution.

Answer 4

The melting of the North Pole ice cap does not make a lot of different to the sea level as the ice is already displacing its own weight of water and of course it contracts as it melts. However the south pole ice cap is on land so if it melts the water runs in the sea and would cause a rise is sea levels and Greenland has an enormous ice cap which would also make a big difference to sea levels as it melts. However what is also very important is that the ice is pure water so it will reduce the salt levels in the sea. The will alter the weight of the water and the different weights of different ocean currents has a dramatic effect on climates so the melting of the Greenland ice cap could have a profound effect on the climate of the UK and northern Europe

Answer 5

the comparable quantity of water, while that's in a reliable state occupies a larger quantity than while that's in a liquid state, as a result that's way less dense, and that's the reason it floats. Get a bowl, fill it a million/2 complete with water, and a few ice cubes, mark the water point, then look ahead to the ice to soften and remark the water point, you will see that the point has no longer long previous up, yet consistent with danger, in case you're very precise, you will see that it has long previous down. The Arctic ice cap is frequently sea ice, so whether all of it melted it does no longer reason flooding of our coastal areas. As for Antarctica, the peninsular (3% of the land section) is warming, yet the two satellite tv for pc and floor measurements show that the main suitable bulk of the continent (ninety seven%) is getting chillier. In 1988, between the UN's '2500 scientists' reported to congress that via 2000 that sea point could have risen via quite a few ft, a actuality verify in 2000 confirmed that it had no longer risen even a million inch. Exaggerated claims are being made for political motives, and can be seen with a hearty dose of scepticism

Answer 6

When water freezes it expands, that is why ice floats, it does not however when in the sea cause a reduction in sea level. The reason that sea levels rise is due to glacial melt rather than ice cap melt, this is because the ice in glaciers is overland & are the biggest source of ice on the planet.

Answer 7

Polar ice caps stick out of the sea but when they melt they melt into the sea. This increases the volume of the water in the sea but as the sea occupies a fixed volume, the sea level rises.

Answer 8

Global Warming is a serious issue. What seems to be happening is all of our common comforts like the hair dryer and paint are thickining the ozone layer which traps the infared light which rappedly heats up our oceans. Since the oceans are being heated up so are the ice caps. The ice caps are definitly big and the result is flooding of our oceans. Thats why the sea level is rising. If you are interested in learning more i suggest you watch An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore. It clearly shows whats happening.

Answer 9

The sea will expand first long before it rises if the ice caps melt.
This is the fundamental error in the way we are thinking.
Significant expansion in to land that is at sea level will happen first
and will happen a lot quicker.

Answer 10

the sea levels rise because there is too much fresh water from the polar ice caps for the sea to cope with the modules being filled. the ice caps generally float on top of the sea instead of actually being part of it therefore when they melt there is extra water being put into the sea . thats why sea levels rise.