How to Melt Ice Cubes in Water

Melt cubes in your glass of water to cool it down.

Melting ice cubes in water can be an interesting experiment if you are curious about the melting rate of ice in water versus other liquids, such as salt water, alcohol, juice, etc. Melting ice cubes in water is also a great way to cool down warm or room temperature water and make a more refreshing beverage. Water can also be effective in melting clumps of ice that are stuck together from your freezer or ice machine and help you to have individual cubes. According to Nuffield Advanced Chemistry, melting is endothermic, so it absorbs energy and heat from its surroundings, namely the water.

Instructions

1. Have a goal in mind for what you are trying to accomplish, whether it be timing the speed of melt, comparing the effectiveness of melting liquids or simply cooling your glass of water. The desired outcome will help dictate the amount and the temperature of water you will be using.

2. Fill a container (commonly a glass, but it can be larger if you need more data for a study) partially with water, upwards to 3/4 full depending on the amount of ice you plan on using. Ice will take up additional space in the glass, so you run the risk of overflowing if you combine too much water and ice in an insufficiently sized cup.

3. Add desired amount of ice cubes to your water container. If you are studying the effects of the water on the frozen ice cube, you might want to observe one cube at a time. If you are cooling the water for consumption, the amount of ice depends on how cold you want your water to be and how quickly you want to achieve the coolness. Keep in mind that warmer water will melt the ice cubes at a faster rate.

4. Stir or agitate the cubes within the water to achieve a faster melt. If the ice stays in one place, it will be surrounded by the colder, melted water, but stirring will mix in the warmer water and speed up melting.

References

• Nuffield Advanced Chemistry: States of Matter