final answer:
The main factors that contribute to the documented global rise in sea level are higher amounts of evaporation, the melting of floating sea ice or ice shelves, and more water being stored on land.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main factors that contribute to the documented global rise in sea level are:
- Higher amounts of evaporation: As temperatures increase, there is more evaporation from the surface of the oceans, leading to an increase in the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere.
- The melting of floating sea ice or ice shelves: The melting of these forms of ice contributes to the total volume of water in the oceans.
- More water being stored on land: As ice on land, such as glaciers and polar ice caps, melt, the resulting liquid water flows into the oceans, causing an increase in sea level.