Out of school? Cold weather experiments for you and the kids
DETROIT (FOX 2) - The extreme cold isn't going anywhere. We're locked in at a high of just six degrees on Tuesday with another arctic day lined up on Wednesday. That's led to most schools canceling classes this week – so what's a parent to do with no school? Keep the education going.
Over the next week, temperatures won't get above freezing in Metro Detroit and the worst will be here on Wednesday with temperatures at zero but wind chills even colder at -16 degrees.
The good news is that, despite the cold, this is the perfect time for some fun (yes, actually fun) science experiments.
The first step in all of these experiments is to BUNDLE UP! Put the coat, gloves, and hats on because this cold is no joke!
What freezes faster: Hot or cold water?
This is one anyone can do, and you won't need to throw water into the air to do it! Answer this simple question: What freezes faster: hot or cold water?
If you don't know the answer, it's a simple experiment.
What you can do:
All you need is a couple of containers and water. An ice cube tray would be the most logical thing to use, but if you don't have one, grab a cup or plastic container and fill it with water at different temperatures.
You could range these temperatures as low or as high as you want.
- Check the temperature of the water first and write it down
- Place the water all in the same location
- Set a timer and note which one is frozen first
- Continue the experiment to see which one freezes last, too!
Dig deeper:
You can take the water temperature as high as boiling or as low as 33. How fast does ice cold water freeze compared to cold tap water? What about boiling water and hot top water? What about water in plastic, glass, or metal?
You can find all sorts of interesting data and how fast things freeze.
Vaporize Hot Water
This is a bit of a throwback – but it's still always really fun to do. It's also a fun twist on the experiment above.
What you can do:
This experiment is for the grownups to do and for the kids to watch.
- Boil a pot of water
- Wearing gloves, carry it outside
- Throw the water out of the pot – away from you and any spectators
The effect creates an amazing cloud of ice around you.
What happens:
It's called the Mpemba effect – when warmer water freezes faster than cold water. The boiling point of water is 100 degrees Celsius (212 Fahrenheit), and it's also the vaporization point. When it meets temperatures below freezing – and is thrown into the air in spectacular fashion – it evaporates into a cloud of ice.
Detroit Zoo closed Tuesday due to bitter cold
Make crystal clear ice
This one could take a bit more time but is no less cool!
What you can do:
All it takes is a small cooler and water.
- Grab a small cooler. Think of an Igloo cooler – it's plastic, small, and insulated.
- Fill it with water - about 5 or 6 inches will do – and it's recommended that you use filtered water
- Put it outside with the lid off and wait
Once it's frozen solid, you'll find the ice is crystal clear and you can see to the bottom of your cooler – straight through the ice!
What happens:
The insulated cooler will keep the water warm on the sides and bottom – but the water freezes from the top down. This allows impurities and air bubbles to be pushed to the bottom, resulting in the clear ice block. This is called directional freezing and happens in nature all the time.
A similar phenomenon plays out when ponds freeze over but still look clear. The outer banks provide insulation so the water freezes slowly from the top down.
You can then use a serrated knife to carve this ice into cubes for a cold drink when you're done - not that any of us need anything else to be cold.
Create ice bubbles
This is another experiment that is a few years old but still looks amazing, and you probably already have most of what you need.
What you can do:
All you need is the cold weather, bubble solution, and a way to blow bubbles.
- Go outside with your gathered items
- Gently blow bubbles
- Watch them freeze from the bottom up!
The bubbles start clear, and then they crystalize before your eyes.
You can use the bubble solution you have on the shelf from the summer. But for the best results, you should make your own.
Here's the recipe from FOXWeather.com:
- ¼ cup warm water
- 2 ½ tbsp corn syrup
- 2 ½ tbsp dish soap
Mix all three together and then use a straw to blow the bubbles outside.
What happens:
The bubbles freeze because of their warming and freezing temperatures. When you blow bubbles in very cold weather, the thin film of liquid that forms the bubble can freeze if the air temperature is low enough, usually below 32°F (0°C). The freezing process happens because the cold air rapidly cools the liquid film, causing it to solidify.
The bubble's surface doesn't "melt" in this context; rather, it transitions from a liquid to a solid state due to the cold temperatures.
What's next:
Now that you've got your ice bubble, there's only one thing left to do: CRUNCH IT!
It's so satisfying to poke your finger through the ice and watch it shatter in front of your eyes - but don't forget to snap a photo first.
Watch balloons deflate and then inflate!
Question - do you know what happens when you put an inflated balloon outside? If you don't, this is a super simple one to do.
What you can do:
We've already got the cold weather but all you need after that is to fill up a balloon.
Blow it up inside and tie it off. Then ask your kids to weigh in on what will happen when you take it outside.
Take it into the freezing weather and watch from inside as the balloon will deflate!
What's next:
The experiment doesn't end when it's outside. Bring it back inside and watch it re-inflate.
This happens because air takes up different amounts of space based on the surrounding temperature. Hot air takes up more space and cold air takes up less. This is also seen when your car's tires seem to go flat in the cold.
According to Penn State, this is due to the Ideal Gas Laws and, well, read it if you want. It's complicated.
How much water is in snow?
This is another cool one that you can do with only the things outside your home.
What you can do:
Fill up a container with snow and then bring it inside. A clearer container is best so you can observe what happens.
- Fill up the container with about a foot of snow. Use your ruler to confirm you're at a foot.
- Bring it inside and cover the container with aluminum foil to prevent the melting water from escaping.
- Once the snow has completely melted, measure the water that remains with your ruler.
Kids will be amazed at how little water remains!
What happens:
The amount of water in snow varies based on what's fallen. The wetter the snow, the heavier, which means there's more moisture. But if it's big and fluffy, it will have less water in it. Normal snow has a ratio of 10 to 1.
The Source: FOX 2 consulted websites including How Stuff Works, Food Network, Serious Eats, Fox Weather, and Penn State University for information for this story.