LearningJoy Explorers: Science Podcast for Kids
Nov 1, 2026 · 8 min · 7 segments
Fill a cup to the very top with water and floating ice. When the ice melts, will the water spill over? Solve three clues about floating sea ice, giant land ice, and warming oceans—and find out why…
the case of the shrinking ice does melting sea ice raise the sea fill a cup to the very top with water and floating ice when the ice melts will the water spill over solve three clues about floating sea ice giant land ice and warming oceans and find out why polar bears and penguins never meet Careful, Haruka.
Don't bump the table.
I filled this cup all the way to the top with water and there's ice floating in it.
When that ice melts, the water is going to
spill everywhere.
Is that your prediction, Detective? Let's wait and watch closely.
Wait a second! All the ice melted and not a single drop spilled over.
The water level did not go up at all.
How is that possible? Because floating ice is already sitting in its own seat in the water.
Step into a bucket of water and your feet push some water out of the way.
Scientists say you displace the water.
Floating ice pushes aside exactly as much water as it weighs.
And what about the little tip of the ice sticking up above the water? When liquid water freezes into ice, it puffs up and takes a little extra space.
So when it melts back into liquid water, it shrinks right down and fits neatly inside the exact seat it was already holding in the cup.
Hold
So when it melts, the ocean doesn't overflow
either? You just solved clue number one! Frozen ocean water that floats on the sea is called sea ice.
Just like the ice in your cup, when floating sea ice melts, it barely changes the height of the ocean at all.
the case of the shrinking ice does melting sea ice raise the sea fill a cup to the very top with water and floating ice when the ice melts will the water spill over solve three clues about floating sea ice giant land ice and warming oceans and find out why polar bears and penguins never meet Careful, Haruka.
Don't bump the table.
I filled this cup all the way to the top with water and there's ice floating in it.
When that ice melts, the water is going to
spill everywhere.
Is that your prediction, Detective? Let's wait and watch closely.
Wait a second! All the ice melted and not a single drop spilled over.
The water level did not go up at all.
How is that possible? Because floating ice is already sitting in its own seat in the water.
Step into a bucket of water and your feet push some water out of the way.
Scientists say you displace the water.
Floating ice pushes aside exactly as much water as it weighs.
And what about the little tip of the ice sticking up above the water? When liquid water freezes into ice, it puffs up and takes a little extra space.
So when it melts back into liquid water, it shrinks right down and fits neatly inside the exact seat it was already holding in the cup.
Hold
So when it melts, the ocean doesn't overflow
either? You just solved clue number one! Frozen ocean water that floats on the sea is called sea ice.
Just like the ice in your cup, when floating sea ice melts, it barely changes the height of the ocean at all.
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