The Science of Snow Melt

Discipline: Physical Science
Age Range: 8-12
Estimated Time: 10 minutes for set-up, then the time needed for the snow to melt
What you need: Snow, a see-through container such as a glass or jar, ruler and salt

Instructions:

1. Fill the container up with snow

2. Bring it inside

3. Place the ruler straight up inside the container, press it down all the way to the bottom.

Observations: (Charts for all experiments are provided as a downloadable PDF below.)

1. Make note of the type of snow you collected. Is it powdery, icy, wet, dry, etc.?

2. Measure and record the height of the snow in your container.

3. Make a prediction about how long you think it will take the snow in the container to completely melt.

4. Measure and record the height of snow in 10-15 minute increments. (More time slots can be added to the chart if needed.)

Experiment Variations:

[Experiment 2] Collect multiple containers of snow (same amount), and place them in various locations (kitchen, outside, fridge, etc.), measure the snow height as you did in the first experiment.

[Experiment 3] Collect various types of snow (if possible) and compare melting times between the varieties by measuring the snow height the same way you did in the first experiment.

[Experiment 4] Collect two containers of the same type and amount of snow, sprinkle table salt into one container and leave the other plain - compare the melting time of the two containers of snow using the same method as the first experiment.

Snow Science:

1. Physical state
   Snow melting into water is a physical change
   Physical changes are reversible - water could be frozen back into ice or snow
   Water exists in all three phases - ice as a solid, water as a liquid, and water vapor as a gas

2. Volume/Density
   Density is the weight of an item compared to the space it takes up
   Snow amount and water amount have the same weight
   Snow takes up much more space in the jar than water
   Snow is less dense than water

3. Melting
   Snow begins to melt when brought inside
   Various temperatures (variation 2) affect melting differently
   The warmer a space is, the faster melting will occur
   The colder a space is, the slower melting will occur