How does global warming cause the melting of polar ice-caps and global sea rise?
Answer:
Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation.
Global average air temperature near the Earth's surface rose 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.3 ± 0.32 °F) during the past century. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes, "most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations,"[1] which leads to warming of the surface and lower atmosphere by increasing the greenhouse effect. Natural phenomena such as solar variation combined with volcanoes have probably had a small warming effect from pre-industrial times to 1950, but a small cooling effect since 1950.[2][3] These basic conclusions have been endorsed by at least 30 scientific societies and academies of science, including all of the national academies of science of the major industrialized countries.
An increase in global temperatures can in turn cause other changes, including sea level rise, and changes in the amount and pattern of precipitation resulting in floods and drought[7]. There may also be changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, though it is difficult to connect specific events to global warming. Other effects may include changes in agricultural yields, glacier retreat, reduced summer streamflows, species extinctions and increases in the ranges of disease vectors.
Remaining scientific uncertainties include the exact degree of climate change expected in the future, and how changes will vary from region to region around the globe. There is ongoing political and public debate regarding what, if any, action should be taken to reduce or reverse future warming or to adapt to its expected consequences. Most national governments have signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol aimed at combating greenhouse gas emissions.
Basically, if the earth warms (largely because of increases in greenhouse gases e.g. carbon dioxide) it causes ice in the poles to melt. This is because an increase in greenhouse emissions traps more of the suns heat in the earths atmosphere which prevents it from escaping into space. This process is called the 'greenhouse effect'. However because humans have been burning fossil fuels since the industrial revolution (over the last 200 years), carbon dioxide levels have soared trapping more heat in the earth's atmosphere. This is causing ice melt in the poles and depending on how much ice melts will determine how high sea levels will rise over the next 50-100 years. Scientists are predicting between 0.5 metres to 6 metres or maybe more in a worst case scenario. However something to remember, ice floating on the sea that melts will not cause any rise (as the floating mass will be replaced by the liquid that has melted), however ice above the oceans or on rock/mountains (e.g. Greenland) that melts will cause sea level rise as this ice sits higher than the sea and will add water to the ocean. I hope this answer has been beneficial to you.
It does not, the polar ice cap was fine until people started going up there to measure how fast it is melting. Then with stories of gloom and doom, others decide to go visit.
Each person who goes up their has their own body heat puss what ever devices they have that generate heat. This melts an area that should not be visited by humanity.
I would love to see a study that shows the amount of people who visit each year and how it compares to the changing conditions.
HeThatDoesNot..,
You see how tourists can heat the glaciers and cause them to melt but you don't believe in that man can change the climate by GHG's? All the industries, transportation's, etc. can't do the job but a few tourist will cause the ice to melt?? Are you high?
simply, the temparature rises and melts the ice and to speed up melting, all the water above it drills holes through the ice, allowing it to thin more quicker.
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