A friend posed this question to me and I pose it to BGP.

 

They say if the ice at the north pole melts, the coasts will be flooded.

 

Question: if you look at an ice cube there is air frozen in the ice. Meaning it covers more volume but has less liquid. Assuming that there is air frozen inside an iceberg and knowing that what we see is ONLY the tip of the iceberg but it's greater mass is underwater. Wouldn't the actual thawing of the icebergs make the water level GO DOWN at best, stay the same at worse?

A friend posed this question to me and I pose it to BGP.

 

They say if the ice at the north pole melts, the coasts will be flooded.

 

Question: if you look at an ice cube there is air frozen in the ice. Meaning it covers more volume but has less liquid. Assuming that there is air frozen inside an iceberg and knowing that what we see is ONLY the tip of the iceberg but it's greater mass is underwater. Wouldn't the actual thawing of the icebergs make the water level GO DOWN at best, stay the same at worse?

You are mostly correct. Floating objects are less dense than water and displace a volume of water that equals their weight. When ice turns into water it naturally has the same density as the surrounding water and displaces the same volume as its weight. The result is that a melting iceberg does not contribute to rising sea levels.

 

The melting of freshwater ice on land would contribute to a net rise in sea level. However, gains in ice caused by increased precipitation caused by global warming would tend to offset thinning ice sheets elsewhere.

 

Water expands when it freezes, which is the main reason that ice is less dense than water - not the air bubbles that are sometimes visible.

You are mostly correct. Floating objects are less dense than water and displace a volume of water that equals their weight. When ice turns into water it naturally has the same density as the surrounding water and displaces the same volume as its weight. The result is that a melting iceberg does not contribute to rising sea levels.

 

The melting of freshwater ice on land would contribute to a net rise in sea level. However, gains in ice caused by increased precipitation caused by global warming would tend to offset thinning ice sheets elsewhere.

 

Water expands when it freezes, which is the main reason that ice is less dense than water - not the air bubbles that are sometimes visible.

 

So, the melting of the icebergs WOULD NOT rise the coastlines as been promoted?

So, the melting of the icebergs WOULD NOT rise the coastlines as been promoted?

No, but if global warming occurs to the extent that icebergs melt at increased rates, then the the production of icebergs would tend to increase and less freshwater would be present over land because of melting. That could increase sea levels, unless warmer temperatures resulted in more snow and ice elsewhere. Warmer global temperatures in the arctic might result in thicker Antarctic ice sheets. Warm air can hold more water vapor, which results in more precipitation. If that precipitation falls as snow in Anarctica, then warmer temperatures could result in ice accumulating at a faster rate, offsetting ice loss elsewhere.

So, in essence, they have no clue on what is happening and what would happen?

So, in essence, they have no clue on what is happening and what would happen?

I don't pretend to be a climatologist, but I do believe that I am at least equally qualified/unqualified to predict the earth's future climate as Al Gore. Gore was not much of a science or math student and he stands to make windfall profits if he can convince the world that there is a global warming "crisis." Gore is making a very comfortable living with his brand of scare mongering and there will be no refunds to those who are suckered into buying his carbon credits.

 

IMO, future generations will view Gore and his ilk in the same light that our generation views P. T. Barnum. :lol:

For those of you who are fond of asking the questions, "What does Gore have to gain by exaggerating the threat of global warming?"

 

Al Gore has come under fire for making personal gain from his mission to save the planet – after charging £3,300 a minute to deliver a poorly received speech.

 

The former American Vice-President was also accused of being "precious" at the London event, demanding his own VIP room and ejecting journalists, despite hopes the star-studded gathering would generate publicity for the fight against global warming.

 

Many of the audience at last month's Fortune Forum summit were restless as Mr Gore, who has won both a Nobel Peace Prize and an Oscar for his campaigning work this year, delivered the half-hour speech that netted him £100,000.

 

Al Gore is criticised for lining his own pockets after £3,300-per-minute green speech

 

My favorite line has to be this one:

 

However, a spokesman for Mr Gore, who won his Oscar for the polemic documentary An Inconvenient Truth, told The Mail on Sunday: "

Mr Gore donates a percentage of all of his speaking fees to the

Alliance for Climate Protection

."

 

From the

Alliance for Climate Protection

website:

 

Board of Directors

 

Al Gore, Jr.

Chairman of the Board, Alliance for Climate Protection

Chairman, Generation Investment Management

Even if Gore did have some Mis-Truths in his Movie.

 

Are you still not worried about the Enviroment??????

 

Global Warning is REAL... Just look at how the weather has changed in the past 10 Years and how it gets worse every year.

I read recently that the temperature has decreased over the last 10 years, so...

For those of you who are fond of asking the questions, "What does Gore have to gain by exaggerating the threat of global warming?"

 

Al Gore has come under fire for making personal gain from his mission to save the planet – after charging £3,300 a minute to deliver a poorly received speech.

 

The former American Vice-President was also accused of being "precious" at the London event, demanding his own VIP room and ejecting journalists, despite hopes the star-studded gathering would generate publicity for the fight against global warming.

 

Many of the audience at last month's Fortune Forum summit were restless as Mr Gore, who has won both a Nobel Peace Prize and an Oscar for his campaigning work this year, delivered the half-hour speech that netted him £100,000.

 

Al Gore is criticised for lining his own pockets after £3,300-per-minute green speech

 

My favorite line has to be this one:

 

However, a spokesman for Mr Gore, who won his Oscar for the polemic documentary An Inconvenient Truth, told The Mail on Sunday: "

Mr Gore donates a percentage of all of his speaking fees to the

Alliance for Climate Protection

."

 

From the

Alliance for Climate Protection

website:

 

Board of Directors

 

Al Gore, Jr.

Chairman of the Board, Alliance for Climate Protection

Chairman, Generation Investment Management

:lol: :thumb:

 

Isn't Al a terrific guy?!

So your telling me that 10, 20, 30 Years ago it rained all through November and Still rained 1/3 of the way through December. Its 60 Degrees out today and thats normal. No Way.

So your telling me that 10, 20, 30 Years ago it rained all through November and Still rained 1/3 of the way through December. Its 60 Degrees out today and thats normal. No Way.

 

I don't understand your point?

So your telling me that 10, 20, 30 Years ago it rained all through November and Still rained 1/3 of the way through December. Its 60 Degrees out today and thats normal. No Way.

The record high for December in Lexington was 75 set in 1982. The record low is -19 set in 1989.

 

1889 is the warmest December on record. The coldest December was in 1989.

 

The three coldes months ever were in January of 1977, 1918, and 1983.

 

The warmest 3 months ever were in July and August of 1936 and August, 1983.

 

Define normal.

The record high for December in Lexington was 75 set in 1982. The record low is -19 set in 1989.

 

1889 is the warmest December on record. The coldest December was in 1989.

 

The three coldes months ever were in January of 1977, 1918, and 1983.

 

The warmest 3 months ever were in July and August of 1936 and August, 1983.

 

Define normal.

 

I am thinking normal cycles of changes in the weather.

I am thinking normal cycles of changes in the weather.

I don't know why we're so worked up over this. The Sun is going to blow up in 2012, anyway. That should take care of global warming shouldn't it?