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I've almost completed Tim Flannery's terrific book The Weather Makers on 
the subject of global warming. As I read it, I kept thinking there are 
some really simple and basic science ideas here. Maybe there's a 
possibility of creating some simple demos and exhibits at our small museum.

A really simple one that might make a good demo is to demonstrate how 
Arctic ice is less dangerous to increasing ocean levels than Antarctic 
ice when it  melts. Here's the demo. Two clear cups are filled with 
water part way to the same level. One has a rock on which an ice cube 
sits. It represents the Antarctic. The other has an ice cube floating in 
water, and represents the Arctic. Let them melt (encouraged by a hair 
blower.). When they melt, the water level of the Antarctic cup will be 
higher than the other. Simple science, but I wonder how many people 
think of this when hearing someone talk about rising ocean levels from 
melting ice. (Of course, the water level in the Arctic cup hasn't changed.)

-- 

           Wayne Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)

             (121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
              Obz Site:  39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

                      "Decarbonize the power grid." 
                        -- Tim Flannery, The Weather Makers

                  Web Page: <www.speckledwithstars.net/>

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