Melting Icebergs!

Melting Icebergs Experiment:

Question 9: Extended Questions

a. What happens if the polar ice caps melt?

Our polar ice caps comprise approximately 75% of Earth’s fresh water.  This being said, if the polar ice caps melted, it would have quite dramatic effects on the planet.  Most of our metropolitan areas are located along continental coasts.  Based on the experiment, as the polar ice caps melt, ocean levels will rise, subsequently flooding our shores first.  Although I do believe that global warming is a true concern for our planet and highly based on anthropogenic causes, I am unsure how relevant the melting of polar ice caps is to the general public when discussing possible implications of global warming.  Let’s think about it for a second.  Most of the world’s ice is in Antarctica.  With average temperatures around -37°C, the melting of this ice mass is unlikely.  But, even if a portion of the Earth’s polar ice caps melted, either in the Northern or Southern Hemispheres, this would still cause ocean water levels to rise a few feet.  These few feet could still be catastrophic, especially to these highly populated coastal metropolitan areas.  As these levels continue to rise, the addition of salt water to farmland could also be destructive to crop production.

b. What other questions do you have about this Science Inquiry Experience?

-       What is the current rate of polar ice cap melting?

-       How much does the Earth’s climate/average temperature increase each year?

-       How do carbon emissions increase each year?

-       Since the “green movement” that began a few years ago, including “green” appliances, vehicles, and other machinery, has the rate of global warming and/or carbon emissions decreased at all? How much more of this will it take to either stop global warming where it is or reverse its effects?