If a very large iceberg were to float to warmer waters and melt, what, in principle, would happen to the overall sea-level?
A. sea-level would rise very slightly.
B. sea-level would fall very slightly.
C. sea-level would stay the same.
*I would say A because sea water is warmer and more salty than floating ice, changes in the amount of this ice are having an effect on global sea levels. Am I correct?
the berg is floating , so it has already displaced its mass in water
melting won't change the water level
Thanks for your response! Do you know why scientists say that the sea level will rise slightly because most icebergs are made of nonsalty water, with a density a bit lower than sea water. So once melted, that same mass occupies more volume and the sea level will rise?
Yes, you are correct! When a large iceberg floats to warmer waters and melts, it will contribute slightly to the overall rise in sea-level. Here's how you can arrive at this answer:
1. Understand the concept of buoyancy: Icebergs, being made of frozen freshwater, are less dense than seawater, which means they displace a volume of water equal to their own weight.
2. Consider the principle of displacement and Archimedes' principle: When the iceberg melts, it goes through a phase change from a solid (ice) to a liquid (water). The water resulting from the melting combines with the surrounding seawater, increasing the total volume of water in the ocean.
3. Recognize that the melted water from the iceberg, when it combines with the seawater, increases the total volume of water but does not significantly change the total mass of water in the ocean. In other words, although the addition of melted iceberg water increases the volume, it does not significantly affect the overall mass of the ocean.
4. Understand that the overall sea-level is determined by the average depth of the ocean and the volume of water it contains. When the melted water from the iceberg combines with the seawater, the increased volume of water raises the overall sea-level slightly.
Therefore, the correct answer is A. Sea-level would rise very slightly. The melting of icebergs, along with other factors such as melting glaciers and thermal expansion of seawater due to rising temperatures, contribute to the gradual rise in global sea-level.