Simple Science Experiment For Children

This science experiment utilizing ice and salt is a implausible demonstration of why salt is used to de-ice roads. It’s additionally a enjoyable science magic tricokay!

When salt is unfold on the highway in winter, it dissolves in water on the floor and lowers the freezing level of the water. This implies the surface temperature must be round -4^oC ( the precise temperature will depend on the focus of salt within the water ) reasonably than 0^oC for ice to kind. If there’s already ice on the floor, the salt will once more decrease the freezing level, and the ice will soften.

On this ice and salt demonstration, an ice dice is lifted from a glass of water hooked up to a string! Salt is used to soften the ice, which then refreezes across the string.

Learn how to elevate an ice dice with string

You’ll want

Glass or jar

Water

Ice dice tray

Meals colouring – elective

Salt

String or wool/yarn

Freezer

Directions

Pour water ( this may be colored with meals colouring ) into an ice dice tray and place in a freezer till frozen.

Fill a number of jars with water to virtually the highest.

Fastidiously place an ice dice into every glass and high it up with water, so it’s virtually full.

Place a small piece of string excessive of the ice dice and sprinkle salt over the place the string sits on the ice dice.

Go away for 1 minute.

Fastidiously elevate the string from each side; the ice dice must be hooked up!

How does this science experiment work?

The freezing level of water and melting level of ice is often 0^oC.

As quickly because the ice is positioned within the water, it begins to soften because the water temperature is above 0^oC. Including salt lowers the freezing level of water, making a few of the ice soften. The ice melts and refreezes across the string, inflicting it to stay to the ice.

Extension duties

Strive sugar as a substitute of salt

Strive utilizing sugar as a substitute of salt; does it have the identical impact? You need to discover including sugar additionally makes the string follow the ice. It is because, typically, impurities in water result in freezing level melancholy ( a decreasing of the freezing level ).

Does saltwater freeze?

Make a saltwater answer and pour it into an ice dice tray. Fill a separate compartment with water containing no salt and examine how lengthy the 2 take to freeze. Relying on the focus of the salt water, it ought to take longer to freeze or doubtlessly not freeze.

Extra ice and salt science experiments

Make ice cream from milk utilizing the cooling energy of ice and salt. In the event you don’t fancy ice cream, the identical method works for making fruity slushy drinks.

Cool a drink in a short time on a scorching day by putting it in a container of ice, salt and water!

Make frost seem on the surface of a tin can utilizing ice and salt.

Learn how highway gritters know when to grit the roads on this article from the Met Workplace.

Final Up to date on January 31, 2023 by Emma Vanstone