Question

Imagine that in a remote location near the North Pole, a chunk of ice floats in a lake. Next to the lake, a glacier with the same volume as the floating ice sits on land. If both chunks of ice should melt due to rising global temperatures, and the melted ice all goes into the lake, which one would cause the level of the lake to rise the most? Explain.

a) The floating ice, as it displaces water.
b) The glacier, as it is initially on land.
c) Both cause an equal rise in lake level.
d) Neither affects the lake level.

Answer 1

The glacier would cause a greater increase in the lake level when it melts, compared to the floating ice.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this scenario, the glacier would cause the greatest increase in the level of the lake water when it melts, compared to the floating ice. The reason for this is that the floating ice is already displacing water due to its buoyancy, whereas the glacier is initially on land and not displacing any water. Therefore, when the glacier melts and all the melted ice goes into the lake, it will cause a greater rise in the lake level.