Final answer:
Sea level rise is caused by both the melting of ice caps and glaciers and the thermal expansion of water as it warms. The physics of warmer water taking up more space means that even without adding additional water, sea levels will rise. This impacts coastal communities and is exacerbated by global temperature increases.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sea Level Rise and Global Warming
Increasing temperatures can lead to sea level rise mainly through two mechanisms. The first is the melting of ice caps and glaciers, which adds more water to the oceans. The second mechanism is thermal expansion, where the volume of ocean water increases as its temperature rises. Due to the physical properties of water, warmer water is less dense and occupies more space. This phenomenon leads to a rise in the sea level even if the amount of water remains constant. Given that the ocean holds about 1.3 billion trillion liters of water, a slight change in density due to increased temperatures can significantly affect sea levels globally.
Additionally, climate change is expected to cause more extreme weather events, altering precipitation patterns, and potentially causing food shortages and species extinction. The impact on coastal areas is already noticeable, with some cities struggling to manage the current sea level rise combined with the effects of storm surges. As global temperatures continue to increase, the contribution of melting ice and thermal expansion to sea level rise is expected to accelerate, posing a threat to ecosystems and human communities situated along coastlines worldwide.