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Who knows about science stuff?
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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Ok, so I’m watching a really terrible film on The Horror Channel about the flooding of earth (or maybe just America... who can tell with this script!). It has rained for 40 days and 40 nights, and the rainfall was that heavy that cities are under water.... a bit like Noah, but with worse acting and Doctor Who set designs.
Physically, though, Is this even possible? We all learned about the water cycle in school, so surely the amount of rain produced is comparable to the amount of water in the atmosphere. Therefore, the amount of rain that the planet can produce is limited, right? So where is all the water coming from to allow it to rain so much that skyscrapers are covered?
I hate it when films get science stuff wrong. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I am no expert or scientists. But if both poles melted completely I guess there would be more water in the world but even that might not be enough to flood all land...
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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Ice caps were deffo not melted. Even so, if the ice caps did melt, it still wouldn’t be enough water to put Denver, CO under water. Denver is way too far inland to be affected by the ice caps. |
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In the time frame of the film no. But we used to be attached to main land Europe and Ireland once upon a time. In Cardiganshire in Wales you can see an ancient forest that is now under sea at certain tides |
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"Ice caps were deffo not melted. Even so, if the ice caps did melt, it still wouldn’t be enough water to put Denver, CO under water. Denver is way too far inland to be affected by the ice caps. "
Clouds travel lol
Also, you've never seen floods happen? Ok not sky scraper high floods but houses have been submerged for sure. |
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By *xydadbodMan
over a year ago
Milton keynes |
Yeah, technically ice pole caps can raise the water levels and also the forming on new islands from underwater volcanos can have an impact too. Plus earthquakes too. Not to mention tsunamis. Mother nature can be nasty when she wants to be |
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Did a quick google on Denver & mountains.
Denver’s surrounded by mountains on at least three sides, so it could be a bowl effect - the rain can’t escape fast enough and starts filling up the ‘bowl’
Btw: Vixen keeps telling me off for ‘bringing reality in science fiction’ so I know how you feel.  |
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There is only so much water in the world it's been the same for the start of time and will not increase or decrease until it's removed form the atmosphere.
The water we us is the same stuff at the dinosaurs had.. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"There is only so much water in the world it's been the same for the start of time and will not increase or decrease until it's removed form the atmosphere.
The water we us is the same stuff at the dinosaurs had.."
EXACTLY!!! Thank you. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Most rain comes from weather systems travelling over the sea and picking up moisture. So rain is recycling water from oceans therefore cannot actually raise sea levels on its own.
If you dont like watching films where they the science is 'wrong' then that must means there are a lot of films that annoy you
Superhero films? Sci fi? |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"Did a quick google on Denver & mountains.
Denver’s surrounded by mountains on at least three sides, so it could be a bowl effect - the rain can’t escape fast enough and starts filling up the ‘bowl’
Btw: Vixen keeps telling me off for ‘bringing reality in science fiction’ so I know how you feel. "
Lol I feel your pain. I get so annoyed when physics is completely disregarded in films. I don’t mind a bit of bending of rules, and bring on as much theoretical physics as you like, but don’t just break the rules and completely disregard basic physical principles! |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I’m a physicist.
Although this isn’t exactly my specialist field I can give a definitive answer for you.
The scenario you are discussing is entirely possible.
I have a large canoe stored in my garden just in case. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"I’m a physicist.
Although this isn’t exactly my specialist field I can give a definitive answer for you.
The scenario you are discussing is entirely possible.
I have a large canoe stored in my garden just in case."
Care to expand on your answer? |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"I’m a physicist.
Although this isn’t exactly my specialist field I can give a definitive answer for you.
The scenario you are discussing is entirely possible.
I have a large canoe stored in my garden just in case."
Also, it looks like you’re storing a large canoe in your boxers, too. Don’t be hogging all the canoes! |
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"There is only so much water in the world it's been the same for the start of time and will not increase or decrease until it's removed form the atmosphere.
The water we us is the same stuff at the dinosaurs had.."
So the water we now drink once got peed in by a Stegosaurus?
Yikes |
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I'd suggest the higher the cities are above sea level and depending on the topography, the less likely they are to be flooded or remain flooded for long. Water will tend to find its own level unless trapped. |
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"I’m a physicist.
Although this isn’t exactly my specialist field I can give a definitive answer for you.
The scenario you are discussing is entirely possible.
I have a large canoe stored in my garden just in case.
Also, it looks like you’re storing a large canoe in your boxers, too. Don’t be hogging all the canoes!"
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There is a finite amount of water on the planet. What happens with rain is that it runs off into the sea in the form of rivers. The only two options I can think of that would keep cities flooded are:
1. If the rain was constant and torrential enough to replace the water that was draining down to the sea because of gravity.
2. If the sea level rose sufficiently for the sea to cover something it currently doesn't. That would not happen because of rain. Polar caps melting would not cause it to the extent you are talking about either. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Did a quick google on Denver & mountains.
Denver’s surrounded by mountains on at least three sides, so it could be a bowl effect - the rain can’t escape fast enough and starts filling up the ‘bowl’
Btw: Vixen keeps telling me off for ‘bringing reality in science fiction’ so I know how you feel. "
I remember watching porn with my ex Mrs once
That was enough
It turned into a make up tutorial
"That nail polish doesn't work on her"
"Too much bleach in her hair"
"That eyeshadow doesn't suit her skin tone"
That kinda stuff
I switched it off |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I’m a physicist.
Although this isn’t exactly my specialist field I can give a definitive answer for you.
The scenario you are discussing is entirely possible.
I have a large canoe stored in my garden just in case.
Care to expand on your answer?"
It’s a green one. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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If all the ice in the world melted (even the ice in your freezer) sea levels would rise about 70 metres.
Of more concern is that if the Earth is flat how comes it has not all run of the edge by now? |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"If all the ice in the world melted (even the ice in your freezer) sea levels would rise about 70 metres.
Of more concern is that if the Earth is flat how comes it has not all run of the edge by now?"
Oh, god, don’t bring the flat earthers in! Carnage! |
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"I’m a physicist.
Although this isn’t exactly my specialist field I can give a definitive answer for you.
The scenario you are discussing is entirely possible.
I have a large canoe stored in my garden just in case.
Care to expand on your answer?
It’s a green one."
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"If all the ice in the world melted (even the ice in your freezer) sea levels would rise about 70 metres.
Of more concern is that if the Earth is flat how comes it has not all run of the edge by now?"
Same reason gravy doesn't run off a plate.  |
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"If all the ice in the world melted (even the ice in your freezer) sea levels would rise about 70 metres.
Of more concern is that if the Earth is flat how comes it has not all run of the edge by now?
Same reason gravy doesn't run off a plate. "
It's not flat?
LvM |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"If all the ice in the world melted (even the ice in your freezer) sea levels would rise about 70 metres.
Of more concern is that if the Earth is flat how comes it has not all run of the edge by now?
Same reason gravy doesn't run off a plate. "
It gets soaked up by a slice of Warburtons Toastie? |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"If all the ice in the world melted (even the ice in your freezer) sea levels would rise about 70 metres.
Of more concern is that if the Earth is flat how comes it has not all run of the edge by now?
Same reason gravy doesn't run off a plate. "
So, earth is mostly flat, just tilted up at the edges? |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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If it's an American film they won't realise other countries exist. Science is a fallacy created by 5G. Rain is tears from heaven and there will be loads because there's a lot to cry about.
Case closed. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"If it's an American film they won't realise other countries exist. Science is a fallacy created by 5G. Rain is tears from heaven and there will be loads because there's a lot to cry about.
Case closed. "
Nailed it. |
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The scare mongers in the UK science community hav said at some time in the future the south of England will be under water so can't see why it couldn't happen in reality like portrayed in the film but think it wouldn't be in epic proportions as the film portrayed |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"The scare mongers in the UK science community hav said at some time in the future the south of England will be under water so can't see why it couldn't happen in reality like portrayed in the film but think it wouldn't be in epic proportions as the film portrayed"
Scare mongers? Do you mean scientists who have studied their expertise for years and have accurate data to back up their claims? |
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"There is only so much water in the world it's been the same for the start of time and will not increase or decrease until it's removed form the atmosphere.
The water we us is the same stuff at the dinosaurs had..
So the water we now drink once got peed in by a Stegosaurus?
Yikes"
e all are drinking water something has already d*unk ten times over |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"The scare mongers in the UK science community hav said at some time in the future the south of England will be under water so can't see why it couldn't happen in reality like portrayed in the film but think it wouldn't be in epic proportions as the film portrayed"
The highest point in Kent is 251 metres so shy of 181 metres to immerse the county completely.
It is predicted that the Isle of Thanet will become an island again with 50 years. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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It's all to do with ice. If ice volume remains constant, then no, rain can't flood us (with the exception of localised flooding that eventually subsides)
However if the poles melt, more water enters the system. Specifically the South pole, as the North pole floats so actually it's volume would be negated by it's own displacement due to mass. |
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"There is only so much water in the world it's been the same for the start of time and will not increase or decrease until it's removed form the atmosphere.
The water we us is the same stuff at the dinosaurs had..
So the water we now drink once got peed in by a Stegosaurus?
Yikese all are drinking water something has already d*unk ten times over"
Even worse..
Mother in law's pee.. |
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"The scare mongers in the UK science community hav said at some time in the future the south of England will be under water so can't see why it couldn't happen in reality like portrayed in the film but think it wouldn't be in epic proportions as the film portrayed
The highest point in Kent is 251 metres so shy of 181 metres to immerse the county completely.
It is predicted that the Isle of Thanet will become an island again with 50 years."
surely not! cos if it is y'all are so screwed, is this maybe the real reason behind Nicola's independence drives I wonder.....
climate change isn't going to stop now, we better all get ready to adapt and be self sufficient especially for food....so I bought my self some fruit trees yesterday  |
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Ice also has a greater volume than water. If all the polar ice melted , would it really increase the overall oceans depths by that much? For one thing, its volume shrinks as it melts plus its no longer displacing as much water as it was when it was ice, so that too may decrease the overall depth. |
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Doesn't matter if the north ice cap melts, as that is floating ice. When it melts it takes up just the same volume as what it is currently displacing, so (save for a tiny fraction to do with liquid water expansion with temperature) it doesn't influence the sea level at all.
The antarctic ice and all the glaciers across the globe do make a difference though, as that is essentially all big piles of snow that have built up on land and will run off into the sea when it melts. This will have an effect of raising sea level, though estimates vary as to by how much. Low lying coastal cities will certainly get a bit wet, but maybe not totally submerge multi-storey buildings. A lot of land on coastal plains and riversides will be lost - goodbye Norfolk, Essex, Southport. Higher altitude towns will be perfectly okay - Buxton, Alston. Those that want to go to the pub, the Tan Hill Inn (528m above sea level) should still be serving.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Ice also has a greater volume than water. If all the polar ice melted , would it really increase the overall oceans depths by that much? For one thing, its volume shrinks as it melts plus its no longer displacing as much water as it was when it was ice, so that too may decrease the overall depth. "
The northern ice floats, so you're right, it melting would actually not increase sea levels. But the southern ice is landlocked and doesn't currently displace the sea water, so it melting would just add lots of water into the oceans and it would increase sea levels |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Doesn't matter if the north ice cap melts, as that is floating ice. When it melts it takes up just the same volume as what it is currently displacing, so (save for a tiny fraction to do with liquid water expansion with temperature) it doesn't influence the sea level at all.
The antarctic ice and all the glaciers across the globe do make a difference though, as that is essentially all big piles of snow that have built up on land and will run off into the sea when it melts. This will have an effect of raising sea level, though estimates vary as to by how much. Low lying coastal cities will certainly get a bit wet, but maybe not totally submerge multi-storey buildings. A lot of land on coastal plains and riversides will be lost - goodbye Norfolk, Essex, Southport. Higher altitude towns will be perfectly okay - Buxton, Alston. Those that want to go to the pub, the Tan Hill Inn (528m above sea level) should still be serving.
"
Ahh shit. Time to think about heading outta Norfolk for this chap |
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By *JohnMan
over a year ago
Newcastle upon Tyne |
I read a book about this once.
You know how Australia is something like 10 hours ahead of us? The further east you travel, the further ahead you get. Until you cross the international date line, and suddenly it's yesterday. That's where the water came from. Yesterday. And the next day it all falls again.
(Umberto Eco, The Island of the Day Before) |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"If a large percentage of the ice at the icecaps is already floating on the sea it's already displacing the equivalent volume of the water that would be created if it melted  "
That's sea ice, not an ice cap. Both Antarctica and Greenland are covered by vast quantities of ice. There are smaller ice caps/ice fields in other places too.
To answer the OP the only way to get the water level to raise that high would require geological changes - the ocean floors to rise and/or the immense amount of water actually in the earths rock to be driven to the surface - it's thought that the earths crust contains a much water as all the oceans.
If you want answers to how this is possible speak to a Christian fundamentalist who believes Noahs flood literally happened around 3000BC (or someone raised by the same who still had the occasional argument with a mother desperate to make him believe)
Mr |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Ok, so I’m watching a really terrible film on The Horror Channel about the flooding of earth (or maybe just America... who can tell with this script!). It has rained for 40 days and 40 nights, and the rainfall was that heavy that cities are under water.... a bit like Noah, but with worse acting and Doctor Who set designs.
Physically, though, Is this even possible? We all learned about the water cycle in school, so surely the amount of rain produced is comparable to the amount of water in the atmosphere. Therefore, the amount of rain that the planet can produce is limited, right? So where is all the water coming from to allow it to rain so much that skyscrapers are covered?
I hate it when films get science stuff wrong."
In the film you are watching no it is not possible. It would only flood to a certain extent, the film has exaggerated this. But something like this can shrink our land mass. |
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By *arex2Couple
over a year ago
Bradford |
"Ok, so I’m watching a really terrible film on The Horror Channel about the flooding of earth (or maybe just America... who can tell with this script!). It has rained for 40 days and 40 nights, and the rainfall was that heavy that cities are under water.... a bit like Noah, but with worse acting and Doctor Who set designs.
Physically, though, Is this even possible? We all learned about the water cycle in school, so surely the amount of rain produced is comparable to the amount of water in the atmosphere. Therefore, the amount of rain that the planet can produce is limited, right? So where is all the water coming from to allow it to rain so much that skyscrapers are covered?
I hate it when films get science stuff wrong."
Of course it's wrong. I heard on the grapevine that the Earth is flat so it would run off the edge...? |
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By *arkie61Man
over a year ago
Huddersfield |
I believe its called archimedes principle.If all the ice melted the sea levels wouldn't rise because of the ice melting. It would rise because of the thermal expansion of the water. If you put ice in a glass then fill it to the brim with water. When the ice melts the water level will be the same. Thats what i was taught at school a long time ago and i dont think its changed since |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"In the time frame of the film no. But we used to be attached to main land Europe and Ireland once upon a time. In Cardiganshire in Wales you can see an ancient forest that is now under sea at certain tides "
That’s cool as fuck
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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If the ice caps melted the sea would rise approximately 70 mtrs, as has already been mentioned. Britain would shrink, most of the major cities would be gone. What’s left of Birmingham would become the capital but there wouldn’t be enough land to sustain the population who fled to higher ground.
The same would happen around the world. Those who survived the water would die of starvation and disease.
Enjoy your evening everyone |
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It would depend on the evaporation rate of any water that would go on to form clouds, that will form falling rain somewhere. Factors will influence how much evaporation occurs as well as others, such as winds, that will carry the water in the atmosphere away. The quicker the evaporated water falls as rain, the quicker more water can evaporate, to replace it. There is a finite amount of water that could exist in gaseous form in the atmosphere at any 1 time. If it all fell, it would probably raise sea level by an inch or two - which would be a small bit of flooding at some coastal spots.
Obviously a couple of inches isn't going to make much difference but other water will continuously be able to evaporate again, to replenish all of the lost water vapour that fell as rain.
Rain doesn't tend to fall equally all over the world of course. If more is falling in the film location, the sum total of global inches from each square inch of the planet, will keep falling in the rainy patch. You could calculate the surface area of the world compared to that of the USA and load the rest of the world's inches just on to the USA. I'm guessing that it would be around 50 to 100 feet deep evenly spread over the whole of the US, so would be an issue in a low lying state, such as much of Louisiana.
Of course that assumes that the fallen water wouldn't partly just raise the water table, below ground level as well as flow into drainage systems, ditches, rivers drains etc.
That global total water vapour falling on the USA leaves the atmosphere ready for more evaporation. If a hundred feet of rain could fall a day over the USA, just as an example, then drainage systems in most places would struggle to cope and flooding would be widespread. |
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the ice caps themselves melting is not the total issue as many have said, what you have to remember there are large ares in the northern hemisphere (russia, china, canada, greenland etc) which have ice/snow on top of the lands, this will melt and raise sea levels and due to global warming as anyone who snowboards/ski's should have noticed is that seasons are shorter and there is not as much snowfall in the first place.
warmer winter's mean bugs/parasites don't die to allow recovery in said species (see Canada's forest fires and degradation issues), less snow also means less FRESH water again you can see the issues in Canada already. grizzlies are breeding with polar bears as a result of less snow and therefore less hunting grounds for polar bear, who are comng south in search of foods.
Plants, animals and us all need fresh water (not salt, sea water is no good less you remove the salt), droughts bring famine, which brings disease with it.
more evaporation actually means more flash flooding which is terrible for the landscape as it washes away top soils taking any small plants with it and making it near useless to use afterwards as it is likely to repeat (see rest & be thankful, scotland). The only way to cure this is to plant biggish trees that can quickly establish roots and bind the soil.
hotter air temps also bring more lightning, typhoons, tsunamis, hurricanes etc which will destroy coastal areas.
add our every growing need for resources only found under ground (lithium for electric car batteries..see tesla's battery plant site or gold, see discovery channel) we are rapidly reducing biodiversity, destroys and pollutes the land so that it is non useable.
big ssues heading our way & gov does not give a monkeys cos most of them won't see it.
[heads away to doom prep in the woods...)
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Scientifically speaking it's simply not possible. The sheer thermal energy release from 40 days and nights of solid worldwide precipitation would melt the entire crust of the Earth's surface and completely fry the atmosphere. You're talking about an energy release equivalent to hundreds of thousands of thermonuclear weapons! |
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By *errysMan
over a year ago
milton keynes and kent |
Well how about if out in the oceans the earths crust shifted and raised up whilst sucking the structure from beneath the existing land thus lowering the landmass levels and raising the seabeds caused by a lowering of atmospheric pressure which causes the heavy rain.
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By *arkus1812Man
over a year ago
Lifes departure lounge NN9 Northamptonshire East not West MidlandsMidlands |
According to NASA Sea Level Survey the rise in sea levels is 3mm per year, this is made up from 2mm from meltwater and 1mm from Thermal Expansion, i.e. Global Warming.
As a point of interest between the years 1900 - 2016 British sea levels rose by 20cm, an annual rise of around 1.7mm. |
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LvM
