Exploring Thermal Phenomena IV (Rising Sea Levels)

Effect of melting ice on sea level: ice already in water vs ice on land
- Place two trays on larger tray.
- Place rock in one tray, place ice on rock;
- place ice in other tray without rock;
- fill both trays to lip with water.
- Predict what will happen when the ice melts (water will spill out of tray with ice melting on rock)
DON’T JIGGLE THE TABLE!

Effect of expansion of liquid when heated
- hand out regular liquid thermometers, one per student
- invite them to record initial temperature
- invite them to hold the bulb of the thermometer for 5 minutes and record new temperature
- invite them to propose a powerful idea to explain how a liquid thermometer works (liquids expand when heated)
- Discuss implications of ice melting on land (increase sea level)
- Discuss implications of thermal expansion of water when heated (increase sea level)

Ask for experiences friends and family are having on the east coast (Hurricane Sandy)
- Is there a connection?
- On computers: go to: http://sealevel.climatecentral.org/

1. Then put 2nd Avenue, Jersey City, NJ into search window and click on map
   

1. Move water level indicator from 1 ft to 10 ft (upper left) to see the difference that sea level makes when there is a surge.
   

1. See predictions for Jersey City and New York City both
   

1. Then Click on + (upper left) until can see 2nd ave on the map. Find the intersection of Jersey Avenue and 2nd Avenue. That little corner of 2n ave that is still in the ‘white’ – that’s where my daughter lives. If the computer program that predicted the map of what will be under water matches what the ‘real world’ has done with a surge reported now to be more than 10 ‘ – what do you think is happening there now?
   

- http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2012/10/chaos_in_jersey_city_as_flood.html