Global Warming Hands-On Activity
Predict: Will melting “icebergs” cause water levels to rise?
1. Fill a cup with ice cubes.
2. Pour warm water to the very top of the cup.
3. Observe the water level in the cup as the ice melts.
Once the ice cubes in your experiment melted, did the water from the cup overflow? Why or why not?
Water expands as it freezes. When it melts, water takes up less space. Do melting icebergs, or chunks of ice floating in the oceans, cause ocean levels to rise?
Not all ice floats in oceans. Huge sheets of ice cover land. If land-based ice melts, water will form rivers and flow into the ocean. Do you think this added water would raise ocean levels? If so, how might that affect coastal cities?
Design an experiment that shows how melting landlocked ice would raise sea levels. Now test out your experiment.