Climate Change Lesson: Melting Ice and Rising Sea Levels

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Melting Ice and Rising Sea Levels

Climate Change

This interactive is brought to you by Virtual Science Teachers. Copyright Virtual Science Teachers 2022

https://view.genial.ly/6274ac05894dc800183143ad

This Virtual Science Teachers interactive is a work in progress. Feel free to use it, but be sure to come back later when it is complete too! Suzanne

Claim Evidence Reasoning

CER

Melting Ice and Rising Sea Levels

Climate Change

https://view.genial.ly/6274ac05894dc800183143ad

This Virtual Science Teachers interactive is a work in progress. Feel free to use it, but be sure to come back later when it is complete too! Suzanne

Greenland Ice Sheet

Select Greenland.

Select the glacier.

Welcome to Greenland!

Select Greenland in the image of Earth.

An INCREDIBLE amount of frozen water!

About 80% of Greenland is covered by a huge ice sheet, which is made up of many glaciers all joined together.

Greenland in 2013

Greenland in early 1900s

image credit

Select the image that shows a river where ice used to be.

The glaciers in Greenland and other parts of Earth are melting significantly faster than in previous decades.

image credit

Select any of the ice shown in this image of Greenland.

What could be causing the rapid melting of the ice in Greenland and other places on Earth?

Almost 80% of Greenland is covered by a giant sheet of ice.

Gas to Liquid

During melting, a substance changes from which state to which state?

To understand why the Earth's ice is melting, it's important to first grasp the concept of melting itself.

Liquid to Solid

Solid to Liquid

Almost 80% of Greenland is covered by a giant sheet of ice.

Removing heat energy

Which of the follow causes a solid to melt into a liquid?

Yes! Melting occurs when a substance changes from a solid to a liquid.

Adding heat energy

Almost 80% of Greenland is covered by a giant sheet of ice.

Select the ice.

You got it! When a solid like ice absorbs enough heat energy, it transforms from solid to liquid.

Almost 80% of Greenland is covered by a giant sheet of ice.

Ice sheets, glaciers, and sea ice around the world are melting at an increased rate due to absorbing more heat energy than they did in the past.

But where is this extra heat coming from? Select the ice to find out.

Select a part of the graphic that represents sunlight energy as it enters Earth's atmosphere.

Energy from the sun reaches Earth as solar radiation, which is a form of light energy.

Select a part of the graphic that represents sunlight that refects back into space.

About 29% of sunlight is reflected back into space by clouds, the atmosphere, and bright surfaces like snow and ice.

Select any red arrow that shows the heat energy being emitted by the Earth.

Sunlight that is not reflected back to space is absorbed by the Earth and then released as heat energy.

Select one of the arrows that represent heat energy that does not reflect back into outer space but instead remains trapped within Earth's atmosphere.

Just as a blanket or jacket prevents heat energy from escaping,greenhouse gases trap heat within Earth's atmosphere.

Select the part of the graphic that represents human activities that release additional greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Human activities like driving and factory operations increase greenhouse gas emissions, leading to more heat being trapped in Earth's atmosphere.

Ice Sheet- massive, continent-covering ice expanses like those in Antarctica and Greenland

Glacier- large, slow-moving masses of ice on land

Sea ice- ice that forms and melts in the sea.

Continue

As Earth's atmosphere traps more heat energy, ice around the world absorbs it, melting at a faster rate.

As mentioned before, reflective surfaces like snow and ice play a crucial role in reflecting some of the sun's energy back into space.

Select the part of the graphic that shows sunlight energythat reflects off the bright snow and icy surface.

When ice melts, the bright surfaces of snow and ice, which reflect sunlight, are replaced by darker surfaces like ocean water or land that absorb more sunlight.

Mostly reflects sunlight energy

Mostly absorbs sunlight energy

Select any part in the image above that shows a surface that would absorb more sunlight energy.

warming
cooling
freezing

Continue

absorb
reflect
remove

melting
freezing
condensing

darker
lighter
purple

Select the correct words in the paragraph.

Not quite. Try again.

Check

When ice melts, it exposes *darker* surfaces like ocean and land, which *absorb* more heat. This leads to more *warming* and more ice *melting* .

0.71 degrees Celsius

1.2 degrees Celsius

0.02 degrees Celsius

How much warmer was the average global ocean surface temperature in 2020 than in 1880?

As more heat is absorbed by Earth's atmosphere and surfaces, it leads to global warming, affecting both land and ocean temperatures.

lowercase letters only

Enter the code word provided at the end of the video.

melt

Watch and answer questions in this video from NASA to learn how the warming oceans affect glaciers.

Continue

Into the Ocean

To Space

The End Fountain

Where does the melted ice go?

As a result of the warming atmosphere and oceans, ice throughout the world is melting rapidly, and the melting rate is accelerating.

1000 millimeters (or 100 cm)

50 millimeters (or 5 cm)

Credit: Climate.nasa.gov

100 millimeters (or 10 cm)

According to this graph, between 1993 and 2022, Earth's sea levels have increased by about __________.

Sea Level Variations Since 1993

Yes, the melted ice from Greenland's Ice Sheet and other glaciers around the world goes into the oceans and causes their levels to increase.

Select the water.

But, it's A LOT of extra water.

100 millimeters (10 cm- about the height of a pencil), may not seem like a big increase in sea level.

High Tide

After 10 cm increase in sea levels

Before increase in sea levels

Select diagram that shows tidal flooding.

A slight rise in sea levels leads to more frequent and severe floods during high tides.

High tide flooding has doubled in the United States in the last 30 years.

Select the area that is flooded due to tidal flooding.

Image Credit

Select the part of this bar graph that represents U.S. tidal flooding incidents in the 1950s.

Image Credit

Now select the part of this bar graph that shows the highest number of flooding incidents.

Not only has tidal flooding increased as a result of higher sea levels, storm surges are more common and more extreme.

Continue

high winds

storm surge

normal high tide

Select the arrow in the diagram that represents the storm surge water level.

Storm surges are caused by wind and pressure changes during hurricanes and other storms.

high winds

normal high tide

storm surge

normal high tide

storm surge

high winds

After 10 cm increase in sea levels

Before increase in sea levels

Select the arrow in the diagram that represents the storm surge water level after the increase in sea levels.

With increased sea levels, the storm surges reach much farther onto land.

The process of building up land with rocks and soil

Flooding and storm surges lead to coastal erosion, eroding beaches and endangering nearby land and habitats.

What is erosion?

The wearing away of land or soil by water, wind, or ice

Select the area that shows where the sea has eroded the beach and damaged a highway.

You got it, erosion is the wearing away of land or soil by water, wind, or ice These photos of Rodanthe, North Carolina, show erosion effects from a storm surge.

By St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

lowercase letters only

Enter the code word here.

ice

Continue

Now consider the causes and the effects of rising sea levels. Move each image to the correct category to receieve the code word.

lowercase letters only

Enter the code word here.

ocean

Summarize the causes and effects of rising sea levels.

Continue

This interactive is brought to you by Virtual Science Teachers. Copyright Virtual Science Teachers 2022

photo credit: NOAA

Great work! Maybe one day you'll be a scientist that helps us better understand glaciers and sea levels.

photo credit: NOAA

Continue

The Mauna Loa Weather Observatory

NOAA began measurements in 1974, and the two research institutions have made complementary, independent observations ever since.

https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/ocean-coasts/ocean-acidification

Sea Levels (mm)

Higher sea levels cause storm surges to be frequent and more extreme.

Higher sea levels have caused tidal flooding to double in the US over the last 30 years.

Water from melted glaciers and ice sheets cause sea levels to rise.

As Earth warms up, glaciers and ice sheets melt faster.

The extra CO2 traps heat that would otherwise escape into space.

Carbon dioxide is released into our atmosphere.

Sea Levels (mm)

Drag the each image so it is above the correct caption. Once all images are correctly placed, a message will appear.

Great Work! Click here.

Higher sea levels cause storm surges to be frequent and more extreme.

Higher sea levels have caused tidal flooding to double in the US over the last 30 years.

Water from melted glaciers and ice sheets cause sea levels to rise.

As Earth warms up, glaciers and ice sheets melt faster.

The extra CO2 traps heat that would otherwise escape into space.

Humans release a lot of CO2 into the atmosphere.

Sea Levels (mm)

Drag the each image so it is above the correct caption. Once all images are correctly placed, a message will appear.

Great Work! Click here.

Higher sea levels cause storm surges to be frequent and more extreme.

Higher sea levels have caused tidal flooding to double in the US over the last 30 years.

Water from melted glaciers and ice sheets cause sea levels to rise.

As Earth warms up, glaciers and ice sheets melt faster.

The extra CO2 traps heat that would otherwise escape into space.

Humans release a lot of CO2 into the atmosphere.

Credit: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio

This graphic illustrates the change in global surface temperature relative to 1951-1980 average temperatures.

Just for fun, try out this sea level quiz from NASA.

https://climate.nasa.gov/quizzes/sea-level-quiz/

Return to map.

As a result of the higher sea levels, Storm surges are more common and more extreme.

Nice work! The code for this section is 2552.

In addition to amplifying storm surge because the water starts at a higher level, sea level rise increases high-tide flooding, which has doubled in the United States over the past 30 years and is expected to rapidly worsen in the coming decades.

Flooding around the world has increased dramatically as a result of the higher sea levels.

Efbrazil, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Efbrazil, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Common_Era_Temperature.svg

This warming trend is concerning... small changes in temperature have big consequences.

Click here to learn what is causing the Earth to warm up so quickly.

Best Case Scenario

Worst Case Scenario

Graphic credit and information

Why is the Earth's surface warming up so quickly?

Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS

What is the trend of this graph?

By RCraig09 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=102770581

NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio, Key and Title by uploader (Eric Fisk), CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Click on the ultimate source of energy for life.

Click on the plant.

Yes, sunlight provides the energy needed for all life on Earth to live and grow. Sunlight also provides the energy that keeps Earth warm enough for life.

Simulation by PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder, licensed under CC-BY-4.0 (https://phet.colorado.edu).

This gif was made using PhET's greenhouse gas simulation. Click here to use it!

infrared waves

sunlight

This image shows how sunlight (yellow) enters the atmosphere and heats the Earth.

Click on a part of the diagram that represents sunlight energy that heats the Earth.

Almost 80% of Greenland is covered by a giant sheet of ice.

Simulation by PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder, licensed under CC-BY-4.0 (https://phet.colorado.edu).

This gif was made using PhET's greenhouse gas simulation. Click here to use it!

infrared waves

sunlight

As the Earth is warmed by the sunight, it emits infrared energy (red). Some of the infrared energy escapes the atmosphere and travels out to space.

Click on a part of the diagram that repsents infrared energy leaving Earth's atmosphere.

Almost 80% of Greenland is covered by a giant sheet of ice.

Simulation by PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder, licensed under CC-BY-4.0 (https://phet.colorado.edu).

This gif was made using PhET's greenhouse gas simulation. Click here to use it!

infrared waves

sunlight

Some of the infrared energy gets trapped within the atmosphere by greenhouse gases like CO2.

Click on a part of the diagram that repsents infrared energy that gets trapped within Earth's atmosphere.

Almost 80% of Greenland is covered by a giant sheet of ice.

Simulation by PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder, licensed under CC-BY-4.0 (https://phet.colorado.edu).

This gif was made using PhET's greenhouse gas simulation. Click here to use it!

infrared waves

sunlight

Without the greenhouse gases, the Earth would be too cold for life to exist.

Click on a one of the images that represent life that would not be possible if it were too cold on Earth.

Almost 80% of Greenland is covered by a giant sheet of ice.

Simulation by PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder, licensed under CC-BY-4.0 (https://phet.colorado.edu).

No geenhouse gases

Medium concentration of CO2 and other geenhouse gases

These three images simulate what happens to infrared energy with varying levels of green house gases in the atmosphere.

These gifs were made using PhET's greenhouse gas simulation. Click here to use it!

High concentration of CO2 and other geenhouse gases

Click on the image that shows all of the infrared energy escaping Earth's atmosphere.

Almost 80% of Greenland is covered by a giant sheet of ice.

Simulation by PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder, licensed under CC-BY-4.0 (https://phet.colorado.edu).

about the same

much lower

much higher

No geenhouse gases

Medium concentration of CO2 and other geenhouse gases

Yes! In the first image, all of the infrared energy leaves Earth's atmosphere.

These gifs were made using PhET's greenhouse gas simulation. Click here to use it!

High concentration of CO2 and other geenhouse gases

Earth's temperature would be _________ if there were no greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Almost 80% of Greenland is covered by a giant sheet of ice.

Simulation by PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder, licensed under CC-BY-4.0 (https://phet.colorado.edu).

Click on the image that shows the most infrared energy getting trapped in Earth's atmosphere.

about the same

much lower

much higher

No geenhouse gases

Medium concentration of CO2 and other geenhouse gases

That's correct, without greenhouse gases the Earth would be MUCH colder. What happens if the level of greenhouse gases increases to high levels?

These gifs were made using PhET's greenhouse gas simulation. Click here to use it!

High concentration of CO2 and other geenhouse gases

Earth's temperature would be _________ if there were no greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Almost 80% of Greenland is covered by a giant sheet of ice.

Simulation by PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder, licensed under CC-BY-4.0 (https://phet.colorado.edu).

increases

Click on the image that shows all of the infrared energy escaping Earth's atmosphere.

does not change

decreases

No geenhouse gases

Medium concentration of CO2 and other geenhouse gases

You got it. The third image shows the most infrared energy being trapped by the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

These gifs were made using PhET's greenhouse gas simulation. Click here to use it!

High concentration of CO2 and other geenhouse gases

Earth's temperature _________ as greenhouse gases are added to the atmosphere.

Almost 80% of Greenland is covered by a giant sheet of ice.

CONTINUE

This video was created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Great work! For a quick review, answer the questions throughout this video from the US EPA. The code word you need to move on is at the end of the video.

Sunlight

Some radiation from the sun reflects off the greenhouse gases, such as CO2, and Earth's atmosphere. Most of the radiation is absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere and warms it.

lowercase letters only

Enter the code word provided at the end of the video.

warm

Almost 80% of Greenland is covered by a giant sheet of ice.

2020

2000

1980

1960

1940

1920

1900

Graph Credit: Carbon Brief

Mostly reflects sunlight energy

Mostly absorbs sunlight energy

Select the surface that absorbs more sunlight energy.

Select the area that shows where the sea has eroded the beach and damaged a highway.

Not quite. Remember that heat travels from where it's warmer to where it's cooler. As an ice cube melts, heat is travels FROM its surroundings into the ice cube. The ice cube absorbs the heat energy.

Not quite. Perhaps this diagram can help you.

Select diagram that shows tidal flooding.

Select the part of this bar graph that showsthe highest number of flooding incidents.

Select any arrow that shows the heat energy being emitted by the Earth.

Select part of the graphic that represents sunlight energy as it enters Earth's atmosphere.

Not quite. Perhaps this diagram can help you.

Select the arrow in the diagram that representsthe storm surge water level after the increase in sea levels.

Select the part of the graphic that shows sunlight energythat reflects off the bright snow and icy surface.

Select one of the arrows that represent heat energy that does not reflect back into outer space but instead remains trapped within Earth's atmosphere.

Select the arrow in the diagram thatrepresents the storm surge water level.

Select any part in the image above that shows a surfacethat would absorb more sunlight energy.

Erosion is the wearing away of land or soil by water, wind, or ice. Please try again.