What Substance Melts Ice Most Efficiently?

Overview

Objectives/Goals The objective of this experiment was to determine which substance is the most efficient in melting ice. Methods/Materials The materials used were: One cup of rock salt, one cup of salt, one cup of rubbing alcohol, one cup of cat litter, and 1/2 cup of calcium cholride. I also used eight by eight metal baking pans to freeze the water and substances. I put five pans in group A and four in group B. I took group A's pans, poured water into them and froze them in a freezer. I gathered group B's pans, poured 1/2 cup of the substances in the bottom, poured water over the substances and froze them in a freezer. After two days, I brought out all the pans to test. I took the five pans of group A and poured each substance onto the top of it's individual pan. I observed the melting process at half hour intervals. Results The results are as follows: Rock Salt in Group B melted the most efficiently in five hours. Table Salt in Group B took seven hours. Rock Salt in Group A melted in eight hours. Alcohol in Group B melted in nine hours. Salt in Group A melted in ten hours. Alcohol in Group A melted approximately eleven hours. Cat litter in Group B and Calcium Chloride in Group a took twelve hours. Cat litter in Group A took fourteen hours. Conclusions/Discussion My conclusion is that rock salt in the most efficient in melting ice. I also found out that it is very efficient in lowering the freezing point of water because when I took the pans with rock salt out of the freezer, they had not fully melted. This experiment is very practical and can be used for everyday life.

Competition history

• CSEF 2004 Materials Science (Junior Division Only) · Entry J1111

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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