The following information is taken from a science literacy test1 concerning the distribution of water in different places (e.g., glaciers and oceans). It imagines that the total quantity could be contained in 100 buckets, and states that (i) about 95 of those buckets contain sea water, and (ii) about two buckets are filled from ice from glaciers and polar regions. The remaining buckets are filled by water from groundwater, lakes and streams, and the atmosphere.
(This topic was kindly suggested by Professors Andreas Muller and Cedric Loretan.)
Estimate by how much the sea level will rise from the melting of glaciers and polar regions.
Estimate the number of 5-gallon buckets that would contain the water from the oceans.
AAPT members receive access to The Physics Teacher and the American Journal of Physics as a member benefit. To learn more about this member benefit and becoming an AAPT member, visit the Joining AAPT page.