Ice Cube MeltingIce Cube Melting

11-28-0911-28-09Science FairScience Fair

Challenge to ExcellenceChallenge to Excellence

Big QuestionBig Question

What substance will melt ice What substance will melt ice faster: sugar, salt, or pepper?faster: sugar, salt, or pepper?

I chose this experiment I chose this experiment because I always wonder what I because I always wonder what I should use to melt ice on the should use to melt ice on the roads. I know we use salt, but roads. I know we use salt, but what if it’d be quicker to use what if it’d be quicker to use sugar or peppersugar or pepper..

HypothesisHypothesis

My hypothesis is that salt My hypothesis is that salt will melt ice faster because to will melt ice faster because to melt ice on the streets, they melt ice on the streets, they use salt. I am not positive salt use salt. I am not positive salt will melt ice faster because I will melt ice faster because I am using table salt, not the am using table salt, not the rock salt which they use to rock salt which they use to melt ice on the roads.melt ice on the roads.

My hypothesis is that salt will My hypothesis is that salt will melt ice faster because to melt ice on melt ice faster because to melt ice on the streets, they use salt. I am not the streets, they use salt. I am not positive salt will melt ice faster positive salt will melt ice faster because I am using table salt, not the because I am using table salt, not the rock salt which they use to melt ice rock salt which they use to melt ice on the roadson the roads

Hypothesis

Did you know……Did you know……

Rock salt doesn’t Rock salt doesn’t work well below 22 work well below 22 degrees Fdegrees F

Most people use Most people use rock salt for their rock salt for their drive waysdrive ways

•Rock salt doesn’t Rock salt doesn’t work well below 22 work well below 22

degrees Fdegrees F•Most people use Most people use rock salt for their rock salt for their

drive waysdrive ways

Did you know…..

ExperimentExperiment MaterialsMaterials

6 ice cubes6 ice cubes1 tsp. sugar1 tsp. sugar1 tsp. salt1 tsp. salt1 tsp. pepper1 tsp. pepperTimerTimerGram scaleGram scale

ProcedureProcedure1.1. Gather materials and place

an ice cube on the scale. Weigh the ice cube by itself.

2. Add a substance on the ice cube and set the timer for 5 minutes

3. When the timer goes off, take off substance and weigh again to see how many grams it melted.

4.4. Write down data and repeat steps 1-4 to make sure data is correct.

5.5. Write down data and communicate results.

Variables

Salt

Sugar

Pepper

Observations

After the 5 minutes, the sugar forms clumps on the ice

Most of my ice cubes weighed the same(12 grams)

In order to get the exact weight, the ice cube must be in the middle of the scale

As the ice cube melted, the sugar and salt stuck to it

DataDataSubstanceSubstance BeginniBeginni

ng ng weight weight of ice of ice cube in cube in gramsgrams

After 5 After 5 minutes minutes weight weight of ice of ice cube on cube on itit

Percent- Percent- age of age of melt melt age of age of ice cubeice cube

SugarSugar 12g12g 10g10g 1.2%1.2%

PepperPepper 12g12g 12g12g 0%0%

SaltSalt 12g12g 9g9g 1.3%1.3%

NothingNothing 12g12g 12g12g 0%0%

RoundRound TwoTwo

SugarSugar 10g10g 8g8g 1.25%1.25%

PepperPepper 16g16g 16g16g 0%0%

Salt Salt 14g14g 11g11g 1.27%1.27%

NothingNothing 14g14g 14g14g 0%0%

SubstancSubstancee

Average Average meltagemeltage

Melts ice Melts ice fastestfastest

SugarSugar 1.2251.225%%

NoNo

SaltSalt 1.2851.285%%

YesYes

PepperPepper 0%0% NoNo

NothinNothingg

0%0% NoNo

Analysis of Data

This experiment tested my hypothesis. I know that because it did test if salt melted ice fastest and it did. I learned that sugar could also melt ice and pepper didn’t do anything to it.

Conclusion

•My hypothesis was correct because salt melted ice the fastest

• In my experiment, I would change some of the substances because pepper didn’t melt at all. I want to know what does melt ice.

• Some new questions I have are: Will breadcrumbs melt ice? What liquid melts ice fastest? Can salt melt a popsicle?

References References http://www.infoplease.com/cig/http://www.infoplease.com/cig/

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References