Why Does Melting Land Ice Raise Sea Level but Melting Sea Ice Does Not?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why does melting land ice raise sea level but melting sea ice does not?

The Big Idea

Melting land ice raises sea level, but melting sea ice hardly does! Sea ice already floats in the water, and it takes up as much space as it weighs. Ice on land is not in the water yet.

Floating Ice

Step one: floating ice. Floating ice already pushes aside, or displaces, as much water as it weighs. So it takes up a certain amount of room in the ocean.

When It Melts

Step two: when it melts. Melted floating ice fills the same space it was taking up. So the water level hardly changes.

Land Ice Adds

Step three: land ice is different. Ice sitting on land, like ice sheets, is not in the ocean yet. When it melts, new water runs into the sea and adds to the total.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! Floating ice is already in the water. Land ice sits on solid ground. Its meltwater flows to the sea. And that is what raises sea level.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! If all of Greenland's ice melted, sea level would rise more than 20 feet. That would take many, many years. Scientists carefully track the ice on land, using satellites and GPS. Understanding it helps coastal towns plan.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! With a grown-up, fill a glass nearly to the brim with water and add floating ice cubes. Mark the water level, and let the cubes melt. Does the level change much? Share what you discover with a grown-up.

Outro

Land ice adds new water to the sea, but floating ice already counts. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!