Global Warming and Rising Sea Levels

I will be the first to admit that I don't know that much about the science behind global warming. I do, however, hear a lot of people who claim climate change is real say that the sea level will rise as a result of the polar ice caps melting. I ask this as a genuine question - if the ice caps melt, how will the sea level rise? If I freeze a bottle of water at home it expands, and if I let it defrost it contracts in relative size. If all of the polar ice caps melt, won't the sea level actually drop as the area that used to encompass ice be filled with water?

Sorry if a stupid question

If it at all makes this easier to understand:

Imagine a cubes of ice floating in a cup of water. Let's say the cup is 15cm tall. The water with the ice cubes is at 12cm. After time, with heat, the ice melts.

Does the water level rise or decline? Logic points to rise

If it at all makes this easier to understand:

Imagine a cubes of ice floating in a cup of water. Let's say the cup is 15cm tall. The water with the ice cubes is at 12cm. After time, with heat, the ice melts.

Does the water level rise or decline? Logic points to rise

FriendlyAC130

[QUOTE="FriendlyAC130"]

If it at all makes this easier to understand:

Imagine a cubes of ice floating in a cup of water. Let's say the cup is 15cm tall. The water with the ice cubes is at 12cm. After time, with heat, the ice melts.

Does the water level rise or decline? Logic points to rise

lloveLamp