instant ice experiment conclusion

Instant Ice: Winter Science Experiment for Kids

My kids love science projects that involve something that looks just a bit like magic. We’ve had a lot of fun making glow-in-the-dark projects, flying projects, and anything that has a “wow” factor. This winter, we resolved to try and make instant ice. We knew the project could be a bit tricky, but we didn’t have any problems with it at all! The experiment turned out just as it ought to, which is always a great feeling!

Watch ice form before your very eyes in this fun science experiment!

You’ll need just a few things for this project:

• Water bottles (we used a dozen, just in case!)

Place 6-12 water bottles in your freezer (or you can do it outside, but the temperature is less predictable out there). Lay them flat on their sides rather than upright. For some reason, they freeze better this way. If your kids want to experiment, place some upright and some on their sides and see which one works best!

Cool the water for about two to two and a half hours. At the two hour mark, take out one bottle and test it. If you can slam it on the counter and nothing forms, the water isn’t cool enough yet. When you get one that hardens, it is ready to go, but you’ll have to work quickly!

Turn bowl upside down over a towel (to catch the spills) and place a large ice cube on the bowl.

Carefully pour the water slowly onto the ice cube.

The water will create a column of frozen ice!

In about 20 seconds, the water will get too warm for this trick to work. But you can repeat it with all the water bottles you have!

Instant Ice Science Explained

The trick to this experiment is super-cooled water. You’re catching the water when it is cold enough to freeze, but hasn’t quite frozen yet. When ice freezes, the water forms small crystals that gradually spread. If you catch the cold water before the crystals have time to form, you can still pour out the water and it will freeze as you pour. Pouring it over an ice cube triggers crystals to form faster than they normally would.

You can get a similar effect by smashing a still-closed bottle of super-cooled water onto a hard surface. This triggers the crystals to form, instantly hardening the ice inside the bottle. The weather term for this process is called a “snap freeze.”

Ice Science Vocabulary

Celsius – Celsius (or “degrees Celsius”, or sometimes “Centigrade”) is a temperature scale. It is used to tell how hot or cold something is and is often written as °C. Water will freeze at 0°C and boil at 100°C

Fahrenheit – is also a temperature scale, typically used in the United States. We use it to tell how hot or cold something is. It is often written as °F. Water will freeze at 32°F and boil. at 212°F.

Snap-freeze –  a term used to describe a process by which a scientific sample is lowered to temperatures below -70 °C, very quickly. This is often accomplished by submerging a sample in liquid nitrogen. This prevents water from crystalizing when it forms ice, and so better preserves the structure of the sample.

Liquid Nitrogen – Nitrogen turns liquid at -210 degrees Celsius or  -346 degrees Fahrenheit. When nitrogen is liquid, it looks a lot like water.

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How To Make Instant Ice: Science Experiment & Lesson Plan For Kids

Today we learned how to make instant ice and I thought this would be a fun and cool science experiment to turn into a lesson plan. It is so easy to do, prep and clean up! The kids had a blast and I can see them wanting to do it again in the future.

At the end of the lesson plan , I have included some questions for discussion of the freezing water experiment, to spark their curiosity even more, and other related resources!

Don’t forget to drop a comment and share if you liked it…

Lesson Learning Objective

By the end of this lesson, children will understand the concept of supercooling , how impurities affect freezing points , and be able to create instant ice using common household materials.

Total Time: 45 minutes

• Introduction and Explanation: 10 minutes

• Experiment Setup: 10 minutes

• Observation and Experiment: 10 minutes

• Discussion and Conclusion: 15 minutes

Materials Needed

• Bottles of purified water (at least 2 per group)

• Thermometer

• Ice cubes

• Large bowl

• Towels (for cleanup)

Instant Ice Lesson Plan

Introduction and Explanation (10 minutes)

Engage the Students:

• Start with a simple question: “Have you ever seen water freeze instantly?”

• Show a short video of instant ice to capture their interest.

Explain the Science:

• Supercooling: Discuss how purified water can be cooled below its freezing point without becoming solid.

• Impurities and Nucleation: Explain how impurities in water typically initiate the freezing process, and why purified water behaves differently.

Experiment Setup (10 minutes)

Preparation Steps:

1. Cool the Water: Place bottles of purified water in the freezer for approximately 2-2.5 hours. The goal is to cool the water below its freezing point without it turning into ice.

2. Monitor the Temperature: Use a thermometer to check the water’s temperature periodically.

Note: Ensure students understand the importance of not disturbing the water once it’s in the freezer.

Observation and Experiment (10 minutes)

Creating Instant Ice:

1. Set Up the Environment: Place ice cubes in a large bowl and sprinkle salt over them. This creates an extremely cold environment.

2. Careful Handling: Gently remove the supercooled water bottles from the freezer.

3. Trigger the Ice Formation:

• Quickly but gently bang one of the bottles on the table or pour the supercooled water onto an ice cube in the bowl.

• Watch as the water instantly turns to ice.

Discussion and Conclusion (15 minutes)

Group Discussion:

• What Happened? Ask the students to describe what they observed.

• Why Did It Happen? Encourage them to explain the process in their own words.

Key Points to Cover:

• The water was supercooled, meaning it was below 0°C but still in liquid form.

• The impact or the presence of ice provided nucleation points, causing rapid freezing.

• The role of impurities in normal freezing and why purified water behaves differently.

• Questions: Open the floor for any questions.

• Real-Life Applications: Discuss real-life examples of supercooling and its importance in various fields.

Additional Tips

• Ensure all safety precautions are taken, especially when handling the bottles and using the freezer.

• Keep the lesson interactive by encouraging students to predict outcomes and explain their reasoning.

• Adapt the explanation based on the age group and prior knowledge of the students.

Additional Resources To Check Out

• Build this stunning water tap that magically makes a non-stop stream of water
• It pumps out water like a normal tap but it seems to float in mid air!
• An Eco science kit to encourage early

• EXPLORE volume, buoyancy, flow, and more with this wet and wild water science kit!
• EXPERIMENT at the bathtub, sink, or water table!
• LEARN with seven hands-on kids’ experiments printed on waterproof cards!
• READY for endless experiments

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Instant Ice Science Experiment for Kids

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This easy instant ice science experiment requires very few supplies but has a big impact. All you’ll have to do is pour liquid water and watch it magically turn into ice before your eyes!

See the Instant Ice Science Experiment in Action

• Bottled water
• Glass or ceramic bowl
• Plastic tray or shallow metal cookie sheet
• Curious kids

• Put water bottles in the freezer for two hours. (You might want to set a timer to remind you to get them out!) Lay them on their sides for the best results, but try not to dent them.
• Remove the water bottles from the freezer before they freeze. (You’ll know they’re ready when crystals form when you jostle the bottles.)
• Place a ceramic bowl upside down on a flat surface (like a tray) to catch the water overage.
• Place an ice cube on top of the pouring surface.
• Then SLOWLY pour while instant ice forms!

How the Instant Ice Science Experiment Works

This simple but amazing instant ice science experiment is more than just a cool one (see what I did there?). The science behind this experiment lies in the freezing temperature of water and how ice crystals form. This experiment is sometimes referred to as Supercooled Water or Flash Freezing. When the freezing temperature is reached, the water molecules freeze by forming ice crystals.

Why did we put an ice cube on top of the bowl? Because it’s easier for the water molecules to turn to ice on top of already-formed ice crystals. As the ice crystals build on existing ice crystals, they eventually freeze the entire bottle of water.

The process of starting the ice crystals is called “nucleation.” Nucleation starts from an impurity or scratch or piece of dust on the container holding the water. In this case, the nucleation is the water bottle. One ice crystal attaches to the imperfection, and the others grow on top. Isn’t science cool?!

Check for Understanding

Explore this concept further by asking your kids these questions and experimenting:

• Would the experiment work the same if the water had food coloring added to the water?
• Would the results be the same if you started the experiment with hot water in the bottles before you put them in the freezer?
• Does the temperature in the room change the results?
• How high of an ice tower can you pour before it breaks?

Additional Resources

Want to dive deeper into this topic? Check out these fun resources!

The Solid Truth about States of Matter –This graphic novel with colorful pictures throughout will help your students learn basic science truths in a fun format!

Rookie Read About Science : Solids, Liquids, and Gases– This 5″ x 7″ book uses three examples and lot of colorful photos to illustrate the different states of matter. The text is simple and direct and perfect for young students.

Many Kinds of Matter –This jewel of a science book is just the right of information for teaching this topic. Colorful photos and understandable text make this one my favorites!

Why does water expand when it freezes-Naked Science: This fun format uses high-speed drawings and simple text to get the point across. I dare you to try to stop watching!

Brain Stuff–How Can Hot Water Freeze Faster Than Cold Water–All of Brain Stuff’s videos are so well done. You can tell they’re big budget and are pros at this YouTube platform! Enjoy!

Do you love science experiments as much as we do? Then be sure to check out this experiment with salt and ice.

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One comment.

It is so cool ? Tried it with my older sister it was very fun.?

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How to Make Instant Ice? (Impressive Cold & Hot Ice Making)

• May 25, 2021
• 7-9 Year Olds , Chemistry

Performing science experiments , especially by kids is so much fun. Hence to add more fun, we are here with another fun-loving experiment – How To Make Instant Ice?

Instant Ice formation has been proven beneficial in many aspects. Its endothermic nature and time-saving property have been immensely used in scenarios of cold-time crunch treatments. Instead of following those long processes, we can make it in a few seconds.

In this article, we have given step-by-step experimentation and detailed information regarding every single thing you need to know about making instant ice. So, go ahead and read below!

How To Make Instant Ice?

The most basic type of instant ice formation. No additional substances except water is used.

You may be interested in our Amazing 18+ Ice Science Experiments

Steps to make –

• Grab a dozen or so water bottles (better to be safe than sorry; if one bottle fails to show the desired product, another can be immediately used).
• Place them in the refrigerator for two hours (add a quarter or half-hour more, if the result is not achieved), preferably in a horizontal position.

• Gently take the bottles out on completion of the allotted time, and place them carefully on a flat surface.

For Instant Ice in a Bottle :

• Hold one of the cold bottles in your hand and slam it down hard on a flat surface.

• The bottle freezes rapidly from top to bottom (roughly 5-10 seconds), turning non-transparent and having your Instant Ice.

For Instant Ice as an Ice Sculpture :

• Pour the contents of one of the bottles on a piece of ice placed on a flat surface.

• As soon as the poured water comes in contact with the already ice placed, it transforms instantaneously. Continuous pouring causes the ice to accumulate in height, and an Instant Ice sculpture is created.

Instant Hot Ice Making

• In a beaker/pot, add 1 lt of baking soda slowly (to avoid a volcano, which may overflow) to 4 tbsp of vinegar with constant stirring. The following reaction occurs.

[HCO3]– + CH3–COOH → CH3–COO– Na+ + H2O + CO2

Sodium acetate and carbon dioxide are formed as products.

• The solution formed is a diluted one, and we need a concentrated one. To do so, boil the contents of the solution for about an hour or so until a thin film (100ml-150ml) is obtained. Do not worry about any discoloration that may occur.
• Remove the solution from the heat source and cover it immediately to protect it from any crystal formation. If crystals do appear, then mix a small amount of water until they dissolve.
• Place the solution into a refrigerator.
• For making “hot” ice sculptures, i.e., to occur crystallization, either touch the surface with an object or add a small preformed crystal of sodium acetate, which will set off the nucleation process.
• Pour the solution on a flat surface, and your “hot” ice sculptures are ready.

Science Behind Instant Ice Formation

The Experiment performed appears quite exceptional to the naked eye and indeed very awe-inspiring to those who do not have a science background.

Diving deeper into the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of it, we learn that this miracle is mind-blowing and has a very simple and straightforward explanation.

The mechanism behind the magical instant ice is a phenomenon called ‘ Snap Freeze ’.

The freezing point of water is 0℃ or 32℉. The technique of ‘Snap Freeze’ is to take water when it is super cool but hasn’t frozen yet; it’s just at the brink of it.

This method lowers the temperature to -70℃ or -94℉ in a “snap,” as the name suggests.

For the experiment to be successful, you must use supercooled water but should not reach the finish line of the freezing point yet.

On exposure of this “almost frozen water” to any kind of force, a slam or a whack (in case of instant ice in Bottle procedure) or to ice, which acts as a precursor to the pouring chilled water (in case of instant ice in Ice Sculpture procedure), ‘Nucleation’ occurs.

Nucleation is the changing of a substance from one state to another.

Water has numerous nuclei which act as a harbour for any impurity or the water molecule to turn into an ‘ice crystal’.

The ‘ice crystal’ initiates a chain reaction of crystal formations called ‘ crystallization .’

A trigger for nucleation is a contact to any deformity. Hence, when slammed/whacked against a solid surface, it begins to freeze fast and within sometime the entire bottle is frozen.

Another trigger is, contact with already prepared ‘ice crystals’. Therefore, when it touches the ice, it freezes rapidly.

Both the cases are examples of ‘Heterogeneous Nucleation’.

Suppose, ice is formed naturally without any external disturbance or introduction of any impurity, just like the usual long-term method of storing water in the freezer for an extended period. In that case, it is an example of ‘Homogeneous Nucleation.’

Influencing Factors

• The volume of water.
• Dimensions of the bottle.
• Initial Temperature (before placing in the refrigerator) – preferably should be room temperature for the best outcome.
• The temperature of the refrigerator.
• Final Temperature (after placing in the refrigerator).
• Position of the bottle, since the more surface area exposed, the faster is the cooling process-

Vertical – less surface area exposed – slower cooling.

Horizontal – more surface area exposed- faster cooling.

Amount of impurities –

More – hinder cooling.

Less – smooth cooling.

Presence of the tiniest of impurities may set off preterm Nucleation.

Features/Conditions

• It can maintain its state as instant ice for about 15-20 seconds, variable, depending upon the environment it is being performed in and the climatic conditions of the location.
• Pure water is a compulsion for this experiment because being devoid of any impurities will lead the water to reach the freezing point before forming crystals accidentally.
• Alternatively, for an even quicker experiment time duration, add ‘salt’ to the pure water. The addition of ‘salt’ lowers the freezing point significantly. So, the refrigeration time can be reduced to 10-15 minutes which is remarkably lower than the standard period.

Liquid Nitrogen / Cryopreservation

‘Cryopreservation’ refers to preserving any substances, especially biological compounds, by subjecting them to lower temperatures. These usually range between -80℃ to -196℃.

Nitrogen’s freezing point is -210℃ or -346℉. It turns from gaseous to liquid state on attaining its freezing point and has an uncanny resemblance to water. The temperature of liquid nitrogen formed is -196℃ or -320.8℉.

This form of nitrogen applies to quick and rapid freezing, such as cooking competitions and bakeries, where time is of the essence.

The sample to be frozen is directly dipped into a container of any sort filled with liquid nitrogen. There is no chemical change in the substance subjected to this procedure.

Also, an added merit other than being a massive time-saver is, liquid nitrogen preserves the structure of the substance dipped in it and does not form crystals as seen in regular refrigerator freezing.

Purpose / Practical Applications of Instant Ice

1. beverages.

Since it is an ‘exothermic reaction,’ ‘latent heat’ is released in the ice as it freezes from top to bottom, heating it and increasing the water temperature.

The increase in temperature makes it a bit warmer, suitable for consumption. It can simply be taken or added to other beverages to enhance them.

E.g., It is added to fruit slushies like mango or strawberry to add a refreshing element to them.

2. Ice Sculptures

Different shaped ‘Ice Sculptures’ can be created by placing ice beforehand in the shape you wish to achieve. You will then simply have to pour the cooled water over the prepositioned ice, and your Ice Sculpture is ready!

3. Ice Packs

It is a 2-layered mobile bag which consists of – a plastic bag of water/water-laden gel, inside a bag of ‘Ammonium Nitrate, Calcium Ammonium Nitrate or Urea.

Here, the Ionic compound which is Ammonium Nitrate, Calcium Ammonium Nitrate or Urea, and the Non-Ionic compound is water.

Interactions between an Ionic and Non-Ionic compound are always heat-absorbing.

When the barrier between the two bags is forcefully broken at the time of use, the contents of the two bags mix, and an endothermic reaction takes place, absorbing all the heat from the surroundings. Instantly, the bag turns cold, fulfilling its purpose.

The instant-mix-ready packs are crucial in treating primarily sports injuries or domestic accidents, like in sprains, strains, muscle pull, jaw injuries due to punches, etc.

4. Food Preservation

Delicate and perishable food items are subjected to sudden and instant ice to pause their physical and chemical processes, preserving their natural characteristics of taste and smell.

Their cell membranes remain intact even after denaturation. On heating, the food returns to its fresh form and is consumable.

Related Ice Experiments for you to try on:

Glowing Ice Cubes

Balloon in Hot and Cold Water

Triple point of Water

Instant Ice is both exciting and valuable to work with. Its phenomenon is nothing short of miraculous.

Even though there is a scientific background to it, it will always be an astounding manifestation to witness.

For fun-loving science enthusiasts, coloured instant ice is the latest invention. It is done by adding colour-imparting pigments to the base mixture in both standard and hot instant ices .

It has spread its branches and roots of applications vastly in various aspects of provisions.

Be it food preservation, food preparation or an instant relief for an injured football player, instant ice has got everything covered.

Happy Ice-making!

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Instant Ice Science Experiment

This science experiment is an exciting experiment to show your child water transforming from liquid to a solid instantaneously!

The Instant Ice experiment shows the transformation from liquid to solid in an instant! When purified water is supercooled (cooled below freezing point), it will instantly turn from a liquid to a solid when it is disturbed. This could be by a jolt to the container or just adding an ice cube to it.

To make it more exciting, your child can create fun ice sculptures while pouring the supercooled water. Since it only takes a few items that you likely have on hand, this is an easy at-home experiment.

How to make the Instant Ice experiment

Supplies you will need.

For the Instant Ice experiment, you’ll need:

• Bottles of purified water
• A freezer with space to lay bottles flat

Before you start

I found that water bottles with harder plastic tended to be easier to handle than softer plastic. I used Dasani water bottles and had a much easier time than with a softer plastic bottle like Zephyrhills.

Instructions

Here is how to do the Instant Ice experiment:

Step 1: Place your water bottle(s) in the freezer on their side

I wanted to have a few water bottles in the freezer, just in case I accidentally messed up on the experiment.

It varies for everyone, but your water bottles will likely need at least 1.5 hours to get ready, likely more. Mine needed about 2.5 hours.

If, by 1.5 hours, your water bottles are not ready, check back every 15-20 minutes.

Optional (but encouraged): I also added a water bottle with tap water in it as a control. Once the tap water bottle froze and the purified water was still liquid, I knew it was ready to go.

Step 2: Carefully open the water bottle

Remember how I mentioned that a simple jolt could ignite the freeze? Since you have to hold the bottle in order to unscrew the cap, you will want to be careful about the amount of pressure you place on the bottle.

Step 3: Pour the supercooled water into the empty container

You won’t have to be as careful with this step.

Step 4: Start the freeze!

Take a piece of ice and simply touch it to the surface of the supercooled water. You won’t have to hold it for long: it should instantly activate the freeze and you will be able to see the water transform to ice!

The ice cube you added will sit on top at this point.

Get your child involved : Let your child touch the ice cube to the top of the water and ignite the freeze. They will feel like they have superpowers!

Step 5: Add water to create ice sculptures

You can do this in either container (the newly-formed ice or the container with ice cubes).

Slowly pour the water out of the water bottle and into these containers to create fun ice sculptures!

Get your child involved : Allow your child free reign over the ice sculptures. Let them get creative! There’s no right or wrong with this step.

Here’s a quick video of creating ice sculptures:

The science behind the Instant Ice science experiment

The Instant Ice experiment showcases the transformation from a liquid to a solid in an instant.

How it works

This experiment studies supercooled water, which is when the water’s temperature falls below freezing but does not actually freeze.

When water is very pure, it is difficult for ice crystals to form because they need what is called a “nucleation point” (the first step in the formation of a new thermodynamic phase) to begin freezing.

When supercooled water is disturbed (by hitting it or introducing a piece of ice, like in our experiment), it instantly turns to ice!

More chemistry experiments to try out with your child

• Fizzing lemons experiment – using lemons and baking soda to make a lemon volcano
• Homemade lava lamp – vinegar and baking soda bubble around in a container of oil
• Magnetic Slime – classic slime, but with an interactive lesson in magnets

FAQ about the Instant Ice Experiment

Does the plastic bottle have to be a harder or softer plastic.

In my opinion, plastic bottles with harder plastic allow you to handle them easier in their supercooled state than a softer plastic bottle. When I used a softer plastic bottle, I initiated the freeze accidentally every time.

Can you make instant ice with tap water?

For this experiment, it is not recommended to use regular tap water. Tap water holds contaminants that could be enough for a nucleation point, which would trigger the freeze when the water reaches the freezing point. By using purified water, you have no contaminants, which will allow your water to stay a liquid well under freezing temperatures.

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Instant Ice

Water is supposed to freeze at 0°C, turning from liquid to solid. But there’s a crazy science trick that allows you to get water to go below freezing without turning into ice! By adding salt to ice, you can cause it to melt at temperatures under 0°C and produce chilled liquid water.

So get ready to produce some crazy cold water that stubbornly refuses to become ice! This “water below zero” experiment is guaranteed to fascinate both kids and adults as they gain deeper scientific insight into the behavior of water.

The really crazy part is that at the end, we’ll make the super-chilled water freeze solid in less than a second!

Materials :

• Bowl of crushed ice
• Cup of water (preferably distilled)
• A thermometer

What to do?

• Fill a bowl with crushed ice
• Place a cup of water (preferably distilled) in the center of the ice
• Note that the ice should be higher than the level of the water
• Generously sprinkle salt on the ice around the cup Be careful not to get salt in the cup.
• Wait 30 minutes then carefully remove the cup from the bowl.
• Drop a small ice cube into the water

How does this happen?

In this experiment, we see a few phenomena. First, we can see liquid water below 0°C. How is this possible if water freezes at 0°C? Does the salt we added play a role? What is its role? Why do we add salt to the water?

Second, when we drop an ice cube into the cold water, it instantly freezes solid. What exactly happened here? Why did the small ice cube cause this effect?

Water Below Zero:

As we know, water turns to ice at 0°C. If we take an ice cube and leave it out of the freezer, it will absorb heat (energy) from its surroundings and melt back into liquid water. Melting ice cools the water because it requires energy to break the bonds between water molecules. This energy comes from the surroundings. Some ice melts, cools, and stops melting. It absorbs a bit more energy, melts more, and the cycle repeats. So the ice and meltwater stay at 0°C until all ice becomes liquid.

When we add salt to the water, it lowers the freezing point, allowing water to remain liquid at lower temperatures. So the ice melts faster into liquid. As mentioned, melting ice requires energy to break molecular bonds, cooling the water further and further, potentially reaching -20°C.

In addition to scientific experiments, this phenomenon also has practical value. In winter when it is very cold and roads become icy, salt is spread on the roads. As mentioned, salt allows water to remain liquid even at temperatures below zero and prevents the road from freezing.

Now for the second phenomenon – why doesn’t the water in the cup without salt freeze? Why does it only freeze when ice is added?

This is called supercooled water.

When a substance changes from liquid to solid state, it changes its spatial structure from disorderly with free molecular movement to an organized crystalline structure. This transition requires releasing excess kinetic energy into the environment.

When we put water in a cold environment (refrigerator or ice water), we draw out its heat energy and cause the liquid molecules to slow down until they move slowly enough to transition from liquid to solid state. But the cooling and velocity reduction alone are not enough – the structural change must also occur. This change requires certain conditions to take place. Mainly, it needs the initial crystal nucleus for other water molecules to attach to Usually various particles in water serve as nucleation sites, but when using distilled water, there are no particles. Also, cooling the water very rapidly doesn’t allow enough time for the initial nucleation point to appear.

Thus, we get supercooled water – water that based on temperature should be frozen, but the nucleation point enabling the freezing process hasn’t occurred yet.

When we introduce a small ice crystal into the water, we provide a nucleus for the freezing reaction to form and propagate through the liquid

Looking for more Winter experiments? <<Click here>>

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Instant ice: an experiment for children

This week we are proposing a small experiment: reproducing instant ice!

This experiment is ideal for children, to stimulate their curiosity about a chemical process, but we also recommend that adults try it because... well, why shouldn’t they? Curiosity is ageless! You only need a few ingredients which are found in every home, but the result is truly surprising: seeing is believing.

Instant ice is one of our most popular products: discover instant ice packs, gel packs, spray ice and all our products by clicking here.

Continue reading our article, prepare everything you need for the experiment and watch your instant ice form...instantly! A video found on onlypassionatecuriosity.com supports the information you will read below.

The materials required for the experiment

Prepare the materials required for the experiment on your work surface. Equip yourself with:

- a bottle of water;

- a glass or ceramic container;

- a plastic or metal tray;

- ice cubes;

- a freezer.

Conducting the experiment

Prepare some ice cubes and put the bottle of water in the freezer for at least two hours. Make room and lay it flat for better results, making sure it isn’t dented.

Once the set time has passed, remove the bottle of water before it freezes completely. How can you tell if the temperature is ideal? When you move the bottle, you will notice the formation of small ice crystals.

Place the tray (plastic or metal) on your work surface and position the container upside down. Place an ice cube on the surface of the upside-down container.

At this point, remove the cap from the bottle and slowly pour the water over the ice cube: you will see instant ice forming before your very eyes!

Instant ice: the scientific explanation

This simple but truly impressive experiment illustrates to young and old the scientific explanation behind the freezing temperature of water. When the right freezing temperature is reached, water molecules turn into ice crystals.

The ice cube used during the experiment helps water molecules to turn into ice faster, because it is easier for water molecules to bind and turn into ice on already formed ice.

This process is called nucleation and is activated by an impurity, a small defect found in the initial phase. In the experiment, our bottle of water is the nucleation.

In this case, instant ice is generated by an imperfection: isn’t it wonderful?

Try this experiment at home and tell us how it went; we’re curious to know! Contact the Dispotech team.

Instant Ice

Approximate Time to Complete: 1-2 Hours + Questions & Journal Time

• 4 or more 8oz (30mL) plastic water bottles. They must be purified water (NO ADDED MINERALS)
• Ice cubes (5-10 lbs)
• Table salt (1-3 cups)
• Thermometer

About This Activity

This experiment can be an exciting way to dive deeper into the concept of phase changes that you learned in Different Properties at Different Temperatures . We just added new nomenclature cards on phase changes too! You can access them in our Online Classroom .

You’ll Learn

• How to supercool water. 
• What “supercooling” means.
• How impurities can change the way water freezes.

Pre-Activity Questions

• What are some of the differences between liquid particles and solid particles?
• What do you need in order to turn water from liquid to solid?
• At what temperature does water freeze?
• How long does it take for water to freeze?

Before you begin, put your “patient pants” on. This experiment can be very particular and may take a couple of tries. Trust us though, when you finally get it, the excitement is worth it!

Part 1: The Set-up

• Empty one of your water bottles, fill it with tap water, and close the lid. Label it so you don’t forget which one it is!
• Fill your metal bowl halfway with ice. 
• Place the tap water bottle and 4 or more purified water bottles on top of the ice. *The more purified water bottles you supercool, the more tries you will get in parts 2 and 3 (below).
• Add more ice to the bowl to cover the water bottles.
• Pour water over the ice until it fills the bowl about ¼ of the way.
• Pour a layer of salt over the ice cubes.
• Insert your thermometer into the bowl, and wait until the thermometer reads between 16 °F and 19 °F (-9 °C and -7 °C).
• Set your timer for 45 minutes. Add ice and salt throughout to keep the temperature between 16 °F and 19 °F (-9 °C and -7 °C).
• After 45 minutes, the tap water bottle should be partially frozen. Once the tap water is partially frozen, the purified water bottles should be supercooled (they’ve been cooled below their freezing point, but still liquid). If the tap water is not partially frozen, set a timer for 5 more minutes and repeat until it is. Please note, if you use water bottles that are more than 8 oz, you will have to leave them in for longer. Using bigger bottles could be a fun extension experiment to set up!

Part 2: Instant Ice in a Bottle

• Ice crystals should start to form in the bottle. If they do not, put the bottle back in the ice bath, and set the timer for 5 more minutes. Repeat this step with 5-minute increments until your purified water bottle forms ice crystals when you hit it on the counter. It comes in handy to have many bottles to test!
• If all of the purified water bottles are already frozen, they were in the ice bath for too long, and you will need to try again. You can use different bottles, or wait until your frozen bottles are back to room temperature.
• Try hitting a bottle of cold sink water on the counter, or cold water from the refrigerator, does it form ice crystals?

Part 3: Instant Ice Tower

• You’ll need one of the supercooled, purified water bottles from part 1 that is still liquid.
• Put an ice cube onto a plate or in a bowl.
• CAREFULLY open the cap of your supercooled water bottle.
• Pour the supercooled water onto the ice cube. The water should turn to ice the second it touches the cube.
• Try doing this with cold sink water, or water from the refrigerator, does it immediately turn to ice when it touches an ice cube?

Questions & Further Research

Use these questions as a guide to write a journal entry, make a poster, give a presentation, or write a research report about your experiment or a related topic.

• How long did it take to supercool your water bottle to the point where it could form ice?
• What does “supercool” mean?
• Go back to the questions from the beginning – would you change any of your answers?
• Which takes longer: water turning to ice, or ice turning to water?
• What properties do you think a liquid needs to have in order to be able to supercool?

How it Works

Imagine you’re building a card house. One by one, you stack each card in a perfect pattern to build a giant structure. It takes A LOT of time and energy.

Then, your friend comes over and knocks it down. That didn’t take very much energy.

The cards are like H 2 O (water) molecules. Making a cardhouse out of the cards is like freezing water molecules into ice. Knocking a cardhouse down is like melting ice. 

Water particles are liquid. They cling closely enough to touch each other, but they’re free to move around. Ice particles on the other hand are very rigid. They stay near each other in an organized pattern (like the cardhouse).

In order to go from ice to water, you only need a little bit of heat energy. You can break apart the organized structure of ice by raising the temperature above 32 °F (0 °C). If you put a piece of ice out on the counter, it will immediately start melting.

In order to go from water to ice, it takes more energy. It takes more energy to organize particles than it does to break them apart – just like how it took more energy for you to make your card house, and less energy for your friend to knock it down. 

If you lower the temperature of water below 32 °F (0 °C), the water will cool and cool until FINALLY it has enough energy to start organizing into ice crystals. Then, the rest of the water will turn to ice very quickly. Just before any ice crystals form, we say that the water is “supercool.” The water is colder than it’s freezing point, but it is still liquid.

You could do this in the freezer, but using the salty ice bath method helps it happen more quickly … can you think of why that might be?

Here’s a hint, it has to do with freezing point depression .

In part 2 of this experiment (Instant Ice in a Bottle), you try to catch the water right before the first molecules organize themselves. Then, you can give them some extra energy by hitting the bottle on the counter. That extra energy helps the molecules move around and get into a perfect position to start organizing into ice. 

In part 3 of this experiment (Instant Ice Tower), you use an ice cube as a seed crystal to start the freezing process. When the supercooled water hits the ice, the water molecules immediately align themselves with the organized, frozen water molecules in the ice cube.

You seem to have made “instant ice.” However, you just waited until right before ice formed on its own, and gave it a little extra “oomf.”

The reason that the tap water freezes has to do with the minerals in it. The minerals in tap water give the water molecules something to cling to and start building ice crystals off of. Kind of like how you used an ice cube as a seed crystal in part 3 of this experiment. It doesn’t need as much time or energy as purified water to form ice crystals, because the minerals give tap water a head start.

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