Melting Ice Caps and Sea Level Rise: Separating Fact from Fiction

In summary, if you put an ice cube in a cup of salt water, the level of the water in the glass will not rise.
  • #1
solarmidnightrose
28
10
TL;DR Summary
the displacement of water and its possible connection to the claims made about climate change.
I'm pretty sure that everyone knows that if you put an ice cube in a cup of water, and leave it for some time for the ice to melt, the level of water in the glass will not rise. (you could use that principle where that guy was in the tub and said "Eureka!" and then ran around naked).

Now, my question is that with all this climate change business on the news, etc... is it correct for people to say that the ice-caps are melting and are causing the sea levels to rise? I mean, the ice-caps were already in the water, and so if they melt, would it cause a rise in the sea levels?

What's your take on this?

I'm really curious.
Thanks for reading!
 
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  • #2
What if you had an ice cube floating in salt water, and the ice cube melted.
Would the water level in the glass stay the same, rise or lower?
 
  • #3
solarmidnightrose said:
Summary: the displacement of water and its possible connection to the claims made about climate change.

I'm pretty sure that everyone knows that if you put an ice cube in a cup of water, and leave it for some time for the ice to melt, the level of water in the glass will not rise. (you could use that principle where that guy was in the tub and said "Eureka!" and then ran around naked).

Now, my question is that with all this climate change business on the news, etc... is it correct for people to say that the ice-caps are melting and are causing the sea levels to rise? I mean, the ice-caps were already in the water, and so if they melt, would it cause a rise in the sea levels?

What's your take on this?

I'm really curious.
Thanks for reading!

You should do some research on this. For example:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_level_rise
 
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  • #4
256bits said:
What if you had an ice cube floating in salt water, and the ice cube melted.
Would the water level in the glass stay the same, rise or lower?
Ok, the water level would rise; because of the differing densities of the substances.
I guess I should have thought more about that before posting this.

Thanks for opening my eyes:)
 
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  • #5
PeroK said:
You should do some research on this. For example:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_level_rise
Yeah, I realized my mistake a couple of minutes after posting this.

At the time I just posted my question without actually doing any research myself (you know those moments when you're just thinking about something & the obvious is right in front of you but you can't see it?... that's what I just did).

Thanks though for your input :)
The link was very informative, thanks.
 
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  • #6
solarmidnightrose said:
I mean, the ice-caps were already in the water
Neither the Greenland nor the Antarctic ice sheets are already in the water.
 
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  • #7
Nugatory said:
Neither the Greenland nor the Antarctic ice sheets are already in the water.
Yeah, sorry about that @Nugatory . I wasn't thinking properly (I guess I was writing things down rather impulsively and without much thought).

Originally, I was thinking about the land (which has the ice sheets on it) being in the water and what effect the melting of the ice sheets would have on the water level. But I've realized some other points that needed to be considered from previous answers to my question.

Thanks for pointing it out though-really helped with further cementing the idea into my head :)
 
  • #8
I heard that substantial loss of ice mass on land would result on the land rising due to reduced load. That could lead to further lowering of sea beds and some land levels. More potential problems.
 
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  • #9
another factor for sea level rise is the rising and moving ocean floor and land masses that encompass the oceans. it is safe to say that they are constantly in motion rising and falling which is a much greater factor than the sea level rise due to melting icecaps, that are not floating already on the ocean. (north pole melt, besides greenland is floating). sea level rise has always been near 7" per 100 years and this rate doesn't seem to be changing. and if it did, there could be many other factors rather than sea ice melting. the density differnce of sea water to fresh water a fairly minor component 2% the density of the sea water is a non factor, as Archimedes proved. fresh water floating on the sea water will displace exactly the same amount of sea water as it melts, even if it had millions of kg of gold sitting on top!
 
  • #10
256bits said:
What if you had an ice cube floating in salt water, and the ice cube melted.
Would the water level in the glass stay the same, rise or lower?
the water level would stay the same... unless you know something i dont. the buoyant force will equal the weight of the medium it displaced .
 
  • #11
zanick said:
the water level would stay the same... unless you know something i dont. the buoyant force will equal the weight of the medium it displaced .
Does it matter whether the ice cube is frozen salt water or fresh?
 
  • #12
Nugatory said:
Does it matter whether the ice cube is frozen salt water or fresh?
The process of freezing tends to leave you with more or less pure ice and the salt goes into the seawater underneath, I think. That's not to say that the ice is totally pure because salt can be trapped in gaps between the ice crystals.
 

1. Who was Archimedes and why is he associated with sea level rise?

Archimedes was a Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, and inventor who lived in the 3rd century BC. He is associated with sea level rise because of his famous principle, known as Archimedes' principle, which explains the buoyant force acting on an object submerged in a fluid. This principle is essential in understanding the effects of sea level rise on objects and structures.

2. How does Archimedes' principle relate to sea level rise?

Archimedes' principle states that the buoyant force acting on an object in a fluid is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object. This means that as sea levels rise, the buoyant force acting on objects and structures also increases, potentially causing them to float or become unstable.

3. Did Archimedes predict sea level rise?

No, Archimedes did not predict sea level rise. However, his principle is still relevant in understanding the effects of sea level rise on objects and structures today.

4. How can Archimedes' principle be applied to mitigate the effects of sea level rise?

Archimedes' principle can be applied in the design and construction of structures in coastal areas to ensure they are able to withstand the increased buoyant force caused by rising sea levels. It can also be used in the development of flood control systems and coastal erosion prevention measures.

5. Is Archimedes' principle the only factor to consider in sea level rise?

No, Archimedes' principle is just one factor to consider in sea level rise. Other factors such as thermal expansion of water, melting of glaciers and ice sheets, and changes in ocean currents also contribute to sea level rise. It is important to consider all these factors when studying and predicting the effects of sea level rise.

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