Question

how much would the sea level rise if the entire Greenland Ice Sheet were to melt? you may use 2.9x10⁶ km³ as the volume of the Greenland Ice Sheet, and you may use 3.6x10⁸ km² as the surface area of Earth's oceans.

a) using these given numbers, compute the answer in meters

b) let's say that by the end of this century, only 5% of that ice actually melts. What sea level rise would that be in feet?

c) What assumptions are behind the calculation in part a?

Answer 1

V= the volume of the Greenland Ice Sheet

= 2.9x10⁶ km³

A= surface area of Earth's oceans = 3.6x10⁸ km²

1. height of sea level = volume /surface are

=2.9x10⁶ km³ / 3.6x10⁸ km²

= 8.05 x 10^-3km =8.05m

2. by the end of this century, only 5% of that ice actually melts.

Volume of water melted from ice =5% of 2.9x10⁶ km³=(5/100)* 2.9x10⁶ = 1.45 x10⁵ km³

height of sea level = volume /surface are

= 1.45 x10⁵ km³ / 3.6x10⁸ km²

= 4.03 x 10^-4 km = 0.403m=0.403*3.28 = 1.321 ft

(1m= 3.28 ft)

3. it’s assumed that no water is lost through heat or increase through rain or due to other changes.