A “Cool” Heat Challenge

A “Cool” Heat Challenge

Science Background:

Encourage students to be creative in their problem-solving strategies, within the scope of the rules. Students will discover that any strategy that increases the amount of heat or increases the surface area of the ice will result in a faster melt. You might ask students how they would change their strategies if the ice cube were doubled in size, if they were melting a large block of ice, or if they were melting an equal mass of ice chips.

Materials: one ice cube for each student

Directions:

Melt an ice cube as fast as you can, using the following three rules:

1.       You cannot put the ice cube in your mouth

2.       You must collect as much of the melted water as possible (decide how you will collect the water)

3.       You can only use what is at your desk right now