Thoughts behind and an underwater world, what if the world got to hot… what if the icelands melted...

 It has been said that if the world became too hot (due to global warming) the ice bergs would melt and the world would then flood due to a rise in sea levels up to 200 feet. I do not believe that world will flood and worldwide panic will break out. Obviously this would have t o happen over a period of time much longer than 10 years. During the Melting Ice Berg experiment my mind would asking all types of questions. I conducted research to cure curiosity and discovered a lot of information pertaining to global warming and possible effects. In conclusion of my experiment all worried pertaining to the polar ice caps melting no longer exists. I do not believe that the world would be flooded, yes the sea level could possible rise but I do not see any serious danger as extreme as the world being under water. My concerns are geared toward the mixture of salt and fresh water and its inhabitants.

What would happen if the polar ice caps melts?

 I would first like to discuss the possibility of the Polar Regions completely melting. Antarctica contain 90% of the earth ice according to Marshall(2000). But because it is so far below freezing (averaging 67 degrees below) it would take a significant rise in temperature to make it melt.  In the even t that Antarctica did melt, sea level could rise up to 200 feet. This would cause flooding and covering of coast lines and low lands. According to the Wise geek, the new standing water would be ideal for the reproduction of mosquitoes and other insects which would cause the spreading diseases. In addition the salt water flooding the farmland would negatively impact agriculture. The Northern hemisphere is more likely to experience melting of glacier, which will ice bergs. Greenland is covered in ice and is more likely to melt because it closer to the equator. In this event the ocean would rise roughly 20 feet, Marshall (2000). Ipcc Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007 has several sectors with adaptation options/ strategies if such conditions exist for water, agriculture, Infrastructure/settlement (including coastal zones), human health, tourism, transportation and energy. Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Control (2007) goes on to say that financial, technological, cognitive, behavioral, political, social, institutional and cultural constraints limit both the implementation and effectiveness of adaptation measures.

This experiment really opens my eyes to international and local concerns dealing with global warming effects. I would like to know what resources are out there for students to use (on their grade level) to gain knowledge about these concerns and possibilities. How could I adapt this experiment and to use the Melting Icebergs as an intro and then focus on the possible effects of global warming to promote environmental awareness and involvement by my students?

References:

Brain, Marshall.  "If the polar ice caps melted, how much would the oceans rise?"  21 September 2000.  HowStuffWorks.com. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geophysics/question473.htm>  21 November 2010.

Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Control. 2007. Ipcc Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007.< http://www.ipcc.ch/index.htm> 21 November 2010.