Serway & Jewett — Angular Momentum: Problem 45

Global warming is a cause for concern because even small changes in the Earth’s temperature can have significant consequences. For example, if the Earth’s polar ice caps were to melt entirely, the resulting additional water in the oceans would flood many coastal areas. Model the polar ice as having mass \(2.30 \times 10^{19}\text{ kg}\) and forming two flat disks of radius \(6.00 \times 10^5\text{ m}\). Assume the water spreads into an unbroken thin, spherical shell after it melts. Calculate the resulting change in the duration of one day both in seconds and as a percentage.