Timothy J. Chiaverini
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) calls attention to the real and documented threat of sea level rise. The IPCC's 2007 report on Oceanic Climate Change and Sea Level states that global sea level rose by about 120 m during the several millennia that followed the end of the last ice age (approximately 21,000 years ago). Sea level indicators suggest that global sea levels did not change significantly from then until the late 19
th
century. The instrumental record of modern sea level change shows evidence for onset of sea level rise during the 19
th
century. Estimates for the 20
th
century show that global average sea level rose at a rate of about 1.7 mm yr
-1
.
3
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) predicts in great detail the environmental, economic, social and political tolls sea level rise will have on humanity. A 2008 report details the potential devastation to low-lying land and shoreline ecosystems, not to mention the potential horrors faced by human civilization as people struggle to obtain limited and dwindling resources necessary for survival. There are two categories to consider: the impact on humans and the impact on the environment. The human impacts include flood damages, land structures lost to the sea, costs of protecting land and structures from the sea, the indirect economic and human toll from the migration necessary by the entire loss of a community, and the costs of shifting to alternative water supplies when the original water supply becomes saline.
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The mathematics and science behind the potential rise in sea level mostly escapes the knowledge base of the general public. A tremendous teaching opportunity exists in the explanation for potential sea level rise due to global warming. Students have the opportunity to apply some of the most basic concepts of physics and mathematics, such as the states of matter, Archimedes Principle, density, buoyant force, and the concepts of volume and direct and inverse variation. Viewing these concepts and principles through the lens of today's energy and environmental crises provides built-in motivation for students as they seek the truth. Students thirst for reasons why they are learning certain concepts and skills.