Take Home Lab #6

Take Home Lab #6:  Measure a Meltdown

Question: What will happen to the Earth’s oceans if the ice melts in places such as Antarctica and Greenland? Does melting icebergs cause sea level change?

Safety: Clean up any spills immediately.

Materials: clear glass or clear plastic bowl about 6 in/15 cm in diameter, ice cubes, warm water, pencil/marker, ruler

Procedure:

Trial #1:

1. Pour warm water so that the level of the liquid is roughly 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) from the top of the bowl.

2. Place 4-5 ice cubes in the bowl.

3. Use a water-based marker (one that will wipe off easily!) to draw a line on the outside of the container at the level of the water after you placed the ice cubes.

4. Set the bowl aside for 15 minutes, or until all of the ice melts.

5. Mark the new level of the water. Then use a ruler to measure how much the level changed.

Trial #2:

1.  Think about whether your experiment in Trial #1 represents melting icebergs (ice that is already floating in the sea) or glaciers (huge ice sheets on land such as Antarctica and Greenland).

2. How could you modify your experiment so that it models how melting glaciers would affect sea level.

3. Repeat your experiment with your new set up.

Data Table:

	Initial height: (Describe the height of your ice cubes and water before_	Final height: (Describe the height of your ice cubes and water after)
Trial #1: ice cubes in water
Trial #2: your design

               

Post-Lab Questions:

1. Explain does Trial #1 represent melting icebergs or melting glaciers? Explain which it shows and why.

2. Explain how you conducted your experiment in Trial #2. Explain your set up.

3. Did the water levels in your trails rise or fall when the ice melted? Explain how Trial #1 was different or the same from Trial #2. 

4. In which setup did the water level change the most? By how much?

5. Which melting ice will have the largest impact on sea levels: icebergs or glaciers? Support your answer with evidence from your experiment.