We're doomed
#17
Re: We're doomed
Archimedes' principle, innit? A floating body displaces a volume of water of equal mass to that of the floating body itself. If the ice melts, the volume of the resulting meltwater is exactly the same as the submerged volume of the iceberg.
Meltwater from land-based glaciers will raise sea levels - and the Larsen ice shelf constrains and restrains several glaciers, so as a consequence of the collapse of the ice shelf there will ultimately be changes in sea level from increased flow rates of glaciers, but in and of itself, the melting of a sea-borne ice shelf will not directly affect sea level.
Meltwater from land-based glaciers will raise sea levels - and the Larsen ice shelf constrains and restrains several glaciers, so as a consequence of the collapse of the ice shelf there will ultimately be changes in sea level from increased flow rates of glaciers, but in and of itself, the melting of a sea-borne ice shelf will not directly affect sea level.
Last edited by Oakvillian; Jul 12th 2017 at 6:14 pm.
#18
Re: We're doomed
I can't remember how much of ice is below the surface but in terms of breaking off, I assume the bigger bit weighs less so displaces less water than it did and this equals the displacement from the broken off bit.
In terms of melting into the see, I guess it's a reversal of the expansion of water into ice so the bulk of the ice reduces so it's maybe the same volume of melted ice as the solid ice originally beneath the surface.
That's my non scientific theory.
#20
Re: We're doomed
Not so. If all of the shelf is freely floating then each unit area of the shelf will displace the mass of water equal to the mass of a column of ice formed using the unit area as a cross section (curvature of the earth included). There will however be local variations and some parts will be machanically supported above where it should float and other parts will be pushed down below where it should float but where areas of the size of this berg are concerned these local variations become meaningless.
#22
Re: We're doomed
Not so. If all of the shelf is freely floating then each unit area of the shelf will displace the mass of water equal to the mass of a column of ice formed using the unit area as a cross section (curvature of the earth included). There will however be local variations and some parts will be machanically supported above where it should float and other parts will be pushed down below where it should float but where areas of the size of this berg are concerned these local variations become meaningless.
#23
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2011
Location: Somewhere between Vancouver & St Johns
Posts: 19,840
#25
Re: We're doomed
This is the most educational thread ever. Yes I had to google Delaware, but at least I know where it is now (presumably where it's always been). And it must also be 1/4 the size of Wales. I wouldn't take that as mathematically reliable, (but probably Oakvillian could check my working ).
Last edited by Teaandtoday5; Jul 13th 2017 at 1:36 am. Reason: Stray bracket.
#26
Pretty Fly For A Whiteguy
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Barrie, Ontario(formerly Penperlleni, Cymru)
Posts: 570
Re: We're doomed
Keep this one going, please.
I've just got off my the phone with my friend from the flat earth society.
I've just got off my the phone with my friend from the flat earth society.
#27
Re: We're doomed
Not sure if old Archy considered the mass of water above the surface or not? I appreciate that the size of broken off ice relative to the planet is, shall we say, a drop in the ocean, but it does still seem as though that above surface melt water would raise sea levels? Perhaps I'll need to do some research with some, gin, tonic and ice cubes tonight?!
#28
Re: We're doomed
Not sure if old Archy considered the mass of water above the surface or not? I appreciate that the size of broken off ice relative to the planet is, shall we say, a drop in the ocean, but it does still seem as though that above surface melt water would raise sea levels? Perhaps I'll need to do some research with some, gin, tonic and ice cubes tonight?!
100m3 of water = 110m3 ice = 100tonne. The mass is the same, only the volume and density is different and they cancel each other out.
#29
Re: We're doomed
It sounds like equipment - pots and pans? In fact if one added an I - but it would have to be a small i - you'd have Deliaware.
That sounds remarkably similar to my non scientific bit upthread.
That sounds remarkably similar to my non scientific bit upthread.
#30
Re: We're doomed
--
Ok ok. Experiment over. We're not doomed. My error
Nobel prizes to Oak, Novo, Bristol, Jings and Archimedes.
Last edited by Shard; Jul 13th 2017 at 3:43 pm. Reason: Closure of aperture