Melting Ice and Sea Level Rise Lab

Supplies

• Large graduated cylinders or containers (two per student)
• water
• ice cubes
• funnel (one per student); can be made from paper

Instructions

1. Place several ice cubes in one of the container, then fill it about three-quarters of the way full with water. (Simulating sea ice.)

2. Fill up the other container to the exact same level as the first (but without ice).

3. Place the funnel in the top of the second graduated cylinder and put the same number of ice cubes in it as you did in the first cylinder. (Simulating land ice.)

4. Wait 15-30 minutes for the ice to melt and observe how much the water level has increased in both graduated cylinders.

Source:

https://pmm.nasa.gov/education/sites/default/files/lesson_plan_files/climate%20change%20inquiry/climate%20change%20inquiry%20sea%20level%20lab.pdf

(For more information and materials for this lab, click the link above)

Points to Emphasize and Discuss

• Which container had more water in the end?
• How does this represent types of ice in the arctic?
• What is the bigger problem: melting land ice or sea ice?
• How is this related to climate change?
• What problems could melting ice cause? (sea level rise)