Question 142610: My 4th Grader did a project on Does the shape of an ice cube affect it's melting rate. His hypothesis was that cubes with the most surface area melted the fastest. All used the same volume, 3 were more cylindrical in shape and one was rectangular in shape. In calculating the surface area:
Radius Cube 1 2.0 Height 1.25 We came up with 40.82 Surface Area
Radius Cube 2 2.75 Height .45 We came up with 55.264 Surface Area
Radius Cube 3 4.5 Height .25 We came up with 134.235 Surface Area
Last Cube was Rectangular in Shape
Length 4.375
Width 1.7
Height .5
We came up with 20.95 Surface Area
On the cylinder cubes, the melting rate followed the pattern that the surface area affected the melting rate. However when looking at the surface area of the rectangular cube, even though it's surface was the lowest, it was actually the second fastest cube to melt.
Are these two types of surface areas viewed differently? Or did we need to have another test cube that was rectangular?
Answer by scott8148(6628)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! the shape of the ice "cube" is a major factor in the melting rate; particularly (as you hypothesized) the surface area to volume ratio
you said that "All used the same volume", but my calculations do not bear this out
perhaps this is why your results are not as expected
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