Why Does Ice Melt?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hey there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why does ice melt?

The Big Idea

Ice is water locked in a crystal. Add heat, and the bits jiggle hard enough to slip free. That is melting. Heat is just tiny bits jiggling harder, until the ice lets go! Chocolate, butter, and wax melt the same way, from solid to liquid with heat.

Step 1

Step one: solid ice. In ice, the molecules hold a tidy grid. Then warm air, or your hand, shares heat energy with the ice. Even ice in a freezer has bits that jiggle a little.

Step 2

Step two: the grid loosens. At zero degrees Celsius, ice and water can exist together. Extra heat goes into breaking the crystal, not into making it hotter at first. Some things melt fast, and some things melt slowly.

Step 3

Step three: a puddle forms. Liquid water appears as the bonds let go. Soon it's all melted, and only a puddle is left. The puddle will soon warm up too.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look at melting ice! The top part is still a solid grid. The bottom part is loose liquid. And heat is what sets it free. Heat turns a solid into a liquid! Every step shows how heat changes things.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Ice melts at 0 degrees Celsius, or 32 degrees Fahrenheit, at normal pressure. Ice skates glide on a thin, slippery layer of water. Salt on a winter sidewalk lowers the freezing point, so ice melts even when the air is still cold. And wipe up spills so no one slips. Be careful around hot things.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Let us time two ice cubes. Put one on a plate. Wrap the other in a towel. Which one lasts longer, and why? Keep a grown-up nearby around stoves.

Outro

Heat makes ice's tiny bits jiggle free, and that is melting. Cool science! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!