Compare the effects of melting glaciers and melting ice sheets on the sea level.
Set up small seas with ice cubes above water representing glaciers and ice cubes in water representing ice sheets.
Time: 40 minutes (20 min prep, then 20 min running in background)
Level: Beginner
2 identical see-through containers, plastic or glass
Marker and ruler
Material for the land: small rocks or gravel
water
food coloring
ice cubes (smaller are better)
heat lamp or blow dryer
Specifics and purchasing links are on this spreadsheet Materials list for CCSAE experiments
Step 1
Measure and mark lines on the see-through containers. In this example the height is 3 cm.
Step 2
Make similar land masses for each container using small rocks.
Mark one "glaciers on land" and the other "icebergs in sea".
Step 3
Choose 2 sets of ice cubes, of about the same volume. Make sure they are shorter than the height of the water line marked on the containers. In this example, less than 3 cm tall. If all of the ice cubes are too big, melt them a bit in water.
Place 1 set of ice cubes on the land mass in the Glaciers (land ice) container, and the other on the bottom in the Icebergs (sea ice) container.
Step 4
Make lightly colored water, as much as needed to fill both containers the water line, about 1/2 liter in this example. One drop of food coloring may be too much; keep diluting the water to make it very light.
Pour the water into both containers, only up to the line marked.
Step 5
Pour the water into both containers, only up to the line marked.
Step 6
Set the containers in a warm place to melt. At room temperature the ice will melt in about 30 minutes, but a heat lamp may be used. Make sure not to put the heat source too close to the containers if they are plastic, as it might melt the plastic.
Step 7
Observe the water level in the containers every 10 minutes as the ice cubes melt.
This experiment was adapted from these experiments:
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/resources/lesson-plan/whats-causing-sea-level-rise-land-ice-vs-sea-ice/
Ice on land melts and flows into the ocean
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2slKkJbBriI - Sea Level Rise Part II: Land and Sea Ice Experiment
Suggestions:
When the icebergs melted the water level stayed the same, but when the glaciers melted the water level rose.
Water moves from land above the ocean into the ocean (gravity)
Melted ice from the land adds to the volume of water in the ocean
Water from land flows downhill into the ocean.
Pathway for Rising Sea Level.pdfWe’d love to hear how you used this tool in your community, how the students responded, and your suggestions to improve the experiments and other resources. Contact us at ccsae@mit.edu.