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Originally Posted by ianathuth
Water is a unique substance that is at its minimum volume at 4 degrees celsius and which expandswhen it is either heated or cooled from that temperature. The point is though that you are missing a couple of points in your theories:
1. There are over a dozen different types of ice, each with its own set of properties including different densities when all are at the same temperature.
2. Global warming increases the temperature of the sea which does expand with the increase in temperature.
So, it is possible that the melting of the icecaps alone may result in a drop in sea leavels but the increase in temperature of the sea (which is many times the volume of the water held in icecaps) will increase the seas volume and hence increase sea levels.
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Agreed.....but.....
When water is frozen its volume increses by approximately 9%.
An increase in temperature of 16 degrees Celsius (from 4 degrees to 20 degrees) will decrease the density of the water by only 1%, an increase in temperature of 20 degrees Celsius (from 20 degrees to 40 degrees) will decrease the density of the water by only 6%.
Since Volume = Mass / Density (and the mass of the water will remain constant) the Volume should change by the same percentages for a given temperature increase.
This
should mean that the increase in volume caused by the raised temperature will be accomodated by the decrease caused by the melted ice.
My science never was that good though so I'm happy to be corrected
