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PW
PW asked in Science & MathematicsChemistry · 1 decade ago

Ice melting rates at various ambiant temperatures?

I would like to determine the temperature of my basement. I have no thermometer and it is very cold down here. I can get an ice cube, measure its volume, and determine how long it takes to melt completely into water. Assuming the ice cube was at 0 to -4 degrees celcius, how would I determine the ambiant air temperature of my basement? I realise that the changing surface area of the ice cube would change the rate of melting, but lets assume an overall average here.

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  • Big Daddy
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    That's very difficult to determine. Heat flow will be affected by the shape of the ice, the material the cube is sitting on, and by how much the air currents are allowing for convection. A piece of ice in a small room with absolutely still air is going to remain much longer than one with a slight draft.

    I'm not aware of any charts that attempt to relate ice melting rates to ambient temperature.

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