Book 6, Question 137
Why Is Sea Level Rising?
Sea level is rising for two main reasons. First, warm water takes up a little more room, which is called thermal expansion. Second, ice on land melts and adds extra water to the sea.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 6
More fun facts
- Sea level rises for two main reasons: ocean water expands as it warms, and ice on land melts into the sea.
- Right now, about two-thirds of the rise comes from melting land ice and one-third from warming water.
- Sea level does not rise evenly everywhere, partly because ocean currents move water around.
- Earth's gravity is uneven too, which makes sea level rise faster in some places than others.
- The average height of the ocean in one place is called its local sea level.
- Instruments in space have seen ice loss and sea level rise speeding up.
Sources: NOAA Ocean Service, NASA Science, NASA, NASA Science, NASA
Questions kids ask
Does sea level rise the same everywhere?
No. Ocean currents and Earth's uneven gravity make it rise more in some places.