It seems logical. When you put ice in a glass and allow it to melt, the water level doesn't change.
If this is the truth, then what does this mean in regards to global warming?
2007-02-01 14:53:19 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Environment
I'd like to add that I don't doubt that global warming exists. I'm just curious about this aspect.
2007-02-01 15:07:03 · update #1
The statement that you make assumes that the Ice cube is in the glass of water. Just as the melting of the Ice in the polar regions assumes that they are in the ocean for that scenerio to be true. However much of the polar Ice is land locked and a thaw would cause that water to flood into the oceans and that would cause them to rise. So no it is not true if the Polar Ice caps melt you can be sure that you will be swimming if you live in a coastal area. Assuming of course you live for an additional 10,000 yrs or so.
2007-02-01 15:01:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
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First of all, the water level does rise when ice melts in water by the small amount that is above the water. But this is hardly noticeable since ice sinks in water.
BUT, the ice caps are NOT cubes of ice sunk in water but large terrains made of ice that exist on solid ground and other structures above the water. When this ice melts and becomes water it no longer stays that way and joins the water mass.
Global warming is a real threat. There are some countries in the world (eg. Maldives) that simply won't last beyond a few more decades. Imagine what it is like for people to be born and live there. How would you feel if our country simply had no future because it is going to sink? Even though the US would take a long time to sink completely from rising sea levels alone, large amounts or coastal land and cities will.
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2007-02-01 23:04:15 · answer #2 · answered by kevinrtx 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Think about if you have a glass filled to the very brim. Now picture there's an ice cube floating on the top, above the edge of the glass (hypothetically speaking, here). The glass is full, and the ice is outside it but supported by the water in the glass. If the ice melts, it becomes more water in the glass, and the glass will overflow. Ice that is landlocked is not in the water, so it'll work in the same way.
2007-02-01 23:02:03 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
For the ice caps that are on ocean, you are right.
But there is a lot of ice on land, in Antarctica, in Greenland, on mountainside. If the 2.5 kilometer thick ice cap on top of Antarctica was to melt, it would rise the level of water of all the ocean by 61 m. This is water that is presently *above* sea level, and staying there because it is on top of a land mass, in ice form.
What the ocean level rising would do to global warming? Slow it down a bit, as the surface of ocean is better at reflecting heat away into space, and there would be more ocean surface. But having ocean level several m higher means that lots of coastal area would be flooded, and with it, lots of farmland. Large cities are also very often establish on coasts, they would be gone.
2007-02-01 23:08:46 · answer #4 · answered by Vincent G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think that in regards to global warming the ice caps melting would just change the type of water in the ocean from a high salt content to a lower salt content, and the poor polar bears would have no place to live! what about the penguins too? well sorry, got carried away... anywho, in the glass of water if you have a glass of salt water and put in freshwater ice cubes the water in the glass will or should have a lower salt content then it did when the ice cube was not in the glass of water. hope this helped, and let's save the hippos! Bye!!!
2007-02-01 23:01:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That would be true for the ice in the Arctic Ocean. But for Antarctic, the ice is not floating -- it's glaciers that rest on rock. Also for the Greenland ice, it's also glaciers that rest on rock. If those melt, the sea level would rise about 3 or 4 feet. That would swamp cities all along the U.S. eastern seaboard, not to mention the rest of the world.
2007-02-01 23:01:05 · answer #6 · answered by morningfoxnorth 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The ice caps of concern are not floating in the water. They are on Antartica and Greenland. Put an ice cube in a glass of water and the level rises.
2007-02-01 23:01:03 · answer #7 · answered by rwbblb46 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is true that if floating ice melts, it doesn't change the water level. The concern is with ice that is not floating, but sitting on solid earth, namely antarctica and greenland. If all their ice melted and flowed into the ocean, it could raise the sea level by 15 feet.
2007-02-01 23:01:19 · answer #8 · answered by Larry 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The water level wouldn't stay the same. You have to think about the ice -above- sea level.
2007-02-01 23:02:14 · answer #9 · answered by Fingers 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes I think so too..because the mass remain the same...
2007-02-01 23:01:47 · answer #10 · answered by Ulez 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋