The Melt Down

Our first science experiment of the summer. Now I must say my kids are 6 and 7, so they are by no means 100% accurate. They are just for fun. My husband thought is was hilarious that I got the kids to watch ice melt, he thinks paint drying should be our next experiment.

Name: The Melt Down

Purpose: Try to keep ice from melting in the hot sun.

Materials:

Paper towels Ice Cubes Salt Baking soda

Rubbing alcohol soda different colored construction paper cold water

box 3 cups Sunny area Shaded area

Rocks to hold things down Masking tape Pencil Ziploc bag

Procedures:
Lay out the paper towels, one in the shade and the rest in a row. Cut up the construction paper into small squares just bigger than the ice cube. Take the three cups and label them soda, water, and rubbing alcohol with the masking tape and pencil. Fill the cups with the appropriate liquid. Spread the construction paper over the paper towels. Put some baking soda in a Ziploc bag. Place rocks on anything that may blow away in the wind. Put one ice cube in the Ziploc bag and shake it around, making sure it is coated with the baking soda. Sprinkle salt on another ice cube away from the paper towels. Place them on the paper towel a couple inches away from each other. Working quickly, put an ice cube on each different colored paper, in each of the cups, on in the shade, on in the box. Then place one on just the paper towel, this is your control.

Hypothesis:
Lexi thought the one in the box would last the longest and the alcohol would melt first.
Neil though the rubbing alcohol, soda, and salt would last the longest and the box would melt first.
I thought the ice cube in the shade would last the longest and the salt would melt first.

Results: In order of which they melted: Water Alcohol Soda Purple paper Cream paper Brown paper Salt Blue paper Baking soda Yellow paper Pink paper Control Shade Box