Question

Wilhelmina and Darcy are thinking about the possibility of the ice cap at the North Pole melting. Wilhelmina asks Darcy if this melting will affect the length of an Earth day, and if so, how. Which of Darcy's responses is correct?

a. "When the ice is concentrated at the North Pole, Earth has a lower moment of inertia than when the melted water is distributed on its surface. Because angular momentum is conserved, when the moment of inertia is larger, the angular speed is smaller. This means the day will belong."
b. "When the ice is concentrated at the North Pole, Earth has a lower moment of inertia than when the melted water is distributed on its surface. Because angular momentum is conserved, when the moment of inertia is larger, the angular speed is larger. This means the day will be shorter."
c. "When the ice is concentrated at the North Pole, Earth has a greater moment of inertia than when the melted water is distributed on its surface. Because angular momentum is conserved, when the moment of inertia is larger, the angular speed is smaller. This means the day will be longer."

Answer 1

Response A is correct. Day will become longer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Earth rotates around its axis once a day, but it does not do so uniformly. Instead, the rate of rotation varies by up to a millisecond every day. If its mass is moved away from the rotation axis, the speed of the Earth’s rotation will decrease.

The concept is known as Angular Momentum.

This effect is demonstrated by skaters who can increase or decrease the speed of their spin by how much their limbs is extended.

The melting of the Ice Cap at the North Pole into the ocean will cause the Earth to rotate more slowly, with the day becoming longer than it is today, by about two milliseconds.

Cheers!

Answer 2

Answer:A

Explanation: Wilhelmina and Darcy are thinking about the possibility of the ice cap at the North Pole melting,Darcy correct response to Wilhelmina is that

"When the ice is concentrated at the North Pole, Earth has a lower moment of inertia than when the melted water is distributed on its surface. Because angular momentum is conserved, when the moment of inertia is larger, the angular speed is smaller. This means the day will belong."