Question

Global warming will produce rising sea levels partly due to melting ice caps but also due to the expansion of water as average ocean temperatures rise. To get some idea of the size of this effect, calculate the change in length of a column of water 1.00 km high for a temperature increase of 1.00ºC.

Answer 1

The change in length of a column of water for a temperature increase can be calculated using the formula ΔL = L0 × ΔT × α. Substituting the given values, we find that the change in length is approximately 0.00021 km.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the change in length of a column of water for a temperature increase, we can use the formula:

ΔL = L0 × ΔT × α

Where:

1. ΔL is the change in length of the column of water
2. L0 is the original height of the column of water (1.00 km)
3. ΔT is the temperature increase (1.00°C)
4. α is the coefficient of linear expansion of water, which is approximately 0.00021 ℃-1
5. Substituting the values into the formula, we get:

ΔL = (1.00 km) × (1.00°C) × (0.00021 ℃-1)

ΔL ≈ 0.00021 km