Amazing Ice Melting Blocks

Place an ice cube on each of these two identical looking black blocks at room temperature. One ice cube instantly begins to melt and is totally gone in about 90 seconds. Available from Educational Innovations, Inc. at www.teachersource.com

Category:

Education

Tags:

• science
• thermodynamics
• physics
• education

[gcdm4]

Why does one melt but not the other?

[EducateInnovate]

@gcdm4 The two blocks conduct heat differently.

[Baz0kable]

@EducateInnovate Lies, that is witchcraft

[QuantumChance]

So the left block has a high heat transfer co-efficient, like copper ~ whereas the right block has a low heat transfer co-eff. The left block transmits more energy per unit area into the ice cube than the right block, which apparently holds its heat energy more conservatively. That seems to be the only answer, since both blocks are of the same color.

[poltergiest11]

why whY WHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYY. oh they both conduct heat differently? is it because they are both by each other?

[ILuvIndiana1]

nope one is wood and one is black aliunimun. Trust me I just did this experiment at school today. The same temp but different density

[thesourceofx]

@Smullet90 another possibility is that the block on the left has a massively...greater?...specifi­c heat and thus maintains its temperature far better. The block on the right would lose heat very fast and become cold, slowing the speed at which the ice melts while the block on the left stays close to room temperature, melting the ice faster.

[1urie1]

If one of them conducts heat better than the other, then it would 'sap' the coldness out of the ice (or give it its own heat, if you prefer) to reach equilibrium faster, thus melting the cube. The better conductor would end up colder, while the other would remain around room temperature.

[xolived]

or one of them is heated =))

[2000DakotaSLT]

We did this in our science class in 9th grade. Both blocks are at room temp. One is steel and one is aluminum. The aluminum one can transfer it's heat energy more quickly to the ice cube because it is a better conductor of heat.

[TheShaun6666]

@Smullet90 but the other one didnt melt at all



[4O4ERR0Rrs]

i think the other one is just heated?

[Smullet90]

They aren't identical. My guess is that one reflects light (shiny one) and one absorbs it (the darker one which melts faster)