How would you do an science project of global warming changing the sea level?

Question

How you would test global warming
How the effects that global warming is rising the sea level

Answer 1

Put a bunch of water in a container in which you can measure its level. Get a baseline water level measurement at room temperature, then heat it up and check the water level again. You have to do this in a short time span or you'll lose too much water to evaporation for it to be accurate.

I would suggest using a heat lamp (representing the sun) and putting something clear (glass or plastic) over the top of the container to represent the greenhouse gases. This will help you heat up the water more quickly and be more realistic.

You can also put an ice cube on something floating on the water and let it melt, then check the water levels again. This represents land ice on places like Greenland melting. Of course it's pretty obvious that the water level will rise when the ice melts.

You can also put an ice cube in the water and let it melt, then check the water levels. This will show that as the polar ice caps (which are floating on the ocean) melt, it will not cause a sea level rise.

Answer 2

Here's a video showing that when ice is it in water and melts it has no effect on the level of the water - http://oceandrilling.coe.tamu.edu/curriculum/Sea_Level/Ice_Volume/floatingice.html

Here's a second video simulating what happens when ice on the land melts and it runs off into the seas and oceans - http://oceandrilling.coe.tamu.edu/curriculum/Sea_Level/Ice_Volume/ice.html

You could do something similar for your project to illustrate the difference between the melting of floating ice and land based ice.

The Arctic ice is floating - it's nothing more than a massive floating ice cube (for want of a better description). Pack Ice is also floating. These could melt completely and there would be no effect on sea levels.

On the other hand, the Greenland and Antarctic ice are land based and when melting occurs here the water runs off and adds to that already in the seas and oceans and so causes the levels to rise.

Answer 3

Fill a glass with ice, then fill it with water until you can't put anymore water in the glass. Let the ice melt and keep track of the level of the ice.

You'll be surprised to see the level go down.