Does Ice Melt Faster In Saltwater Or Freshwater

Consequently the ice melts faster.

Does ice melt faster in saltwater or freshwater. Before the experiment is started students are asked to make a prediction which ice cube will melt faster the one in salt water or the one in fresh water. Meanwhile in the saltwater the cold freshwater from the ice cube floats on top of the. This cold fresh water surrounds the ice. This phenomenon is termed and is the reason that salt prevents ice from forming when it is sprinkled on walkways when it snows.

But salt water is much denser than tap water warm or cold. Ice melting in fresh water l and salt water r duration. So when you put a freshwater ice cube in a glass of salt water the cold water coming off the ice cube doesn t sink at all. Also the saltwater wasn t boiling too well compared to the freshwater.

Students then place the ice cubes into the cups and start a stop watch note the time. In the salt water the colored water from the melted ice cube forms a distinct layer that floats on top of the salt water. Instead the dense salt water stays at the bottom of the glass and the cold water stays on the top. Saltwater changes in density a bit faster as it cools down than freshwater which means it might move faster when you put the ice cube in which helps melt the ice but it also is more viscous so it s harder which makes it harder to move which slows down the melting process.

As the ice cube melts the cold melt water from the ice cube sinks to the bottom of the cup forcing the water from the bottom of the cup ambient temperature to move toward the surface which transfers its heat to the ice cube causing it to melt faster. Students discuss within their groups and commit to one hypothesis. The ice cube in the salt water melts much slower then the one in the freshwater. In the fresh water the melted water sinks to the bottom and is evenly spread out.

The lower melting point allows the block of frozen salt water to melt more easily than a block of frozen tap water so it melts faster.