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by Anonymous on May 29th, 2009

Anonymous

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Since 90 percent of a floating ice cube is underwater, and water expands by 9 percent when frozen, doesn't this mean the water will only rise 1 percent when the ice cube melts?

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  • by Brian on May 29th, 2009

    Brian

    According to your info, when water freezes it occupies 1.09 times as much space.

    Therefore, when ice melts it occupies about 0.92 times as much space.

    When the ice melts, all of its volume will be part of the water in the container, and not just 90% of it.

    Therefore the portion of its volume in the water will be about 1.11 times as much.

    Therefore the volume of the melted ice that's in the water will be about 1.02 times as much as when it was frozen, so it should rise by a factor of 1.02 times the proportion of the volume of the ice cube to that of the contained water.

    Comments

    • I fail to see what the confusion is here. To me it is simple physics. If the surface of the polar icecaps melt then yes the water level will increase. BUT once the surface of the polar icecaps melt and the remaining 90 percent of the polar icecaps remaining underwater start to rise up and continue to melt you will then see a drop in sea level. Of course because ice takes up more space than water. So there is an yes and no to both sids of this discussion, its just at different times of this cycle. If you still disagree, put an theoretical figure in for the value of water and the calculated difference in mass from ice to water. It works out. There is also boyancy and spacial displacement to take in for the middle timezone of this discussion but looking at the start and finish answers is quite simple..

      Phil

      Phil_K6638

      by Phil_K6638 on February 18th, 2011

    • I fail to see what the confusion is here. To me it is simple physics. If the surface of the polar icecaps melt then yes the water level will increase. BUT once the surface of the polar icecaps melt and the remaining 90 percent of the polar icecaps remaining underwater start to rise up and continue to melt you will then see a drop in sea level. Of course because ice takes up more space than water. So there is an yes and no to both sids of this discussion, its just at different times of this cycle. If you still disagree, put an theoretical figure in for the value of water and the calculated difference in mass from ice to water. It works out. There is also boyancy and spacial displacement to take in for the middle timezone of this discussion but looking at the start and finish answers is quite simple..


      Read more: Since 90 percent of a floating ice cube is underwater, and water expands by 9 percent when frozen, doesn't this mean the water will only rise 1 percent when the ice cube melts? | Answerbag http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1486087#ixzz1EKmBxRQP

      Phil_K6638

      by Phil_K6638 on February 18th, 2011

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