In 1986 a gargantuan iceberg broke away from the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica. I

Question

In 1986 a gargantuan iceberg broke away from the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica. It was approximately a rectangle 155 km long, 35.0 km wide, and 250 m thick. (a) What is the mass of this iceberg, given that the density of ice is 917 kg/m3? Correct: Your answer is correct. kg (b) How much heat is required to melt it? Correct: Your answer is correct. J (c) Compare this amount of energy with the annual U.S. energy use of 8 1019 J by taking a ratio. Correct: Your answer is correct. (Eice / EUS) (d) How many years (365.25 days) would it take sunlight alone to melt ice this thick, if the ice absorbs an average of 100 W/m2, 13.00 h per day?

Explanation / Answer

part D :

I = power/area = E /(A t)

E = I At

E = 100 * 13* 60* 60

E = 4.68*10^ 6 J

time t = Eice/E

t = 8*10^19/(4.68 *10^6)

t = 1.7 *10^13

t = 1.7 *10^13/365.25

t = 4.65 *10^10 years

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