"So when you throw the boiling water up, suddenly the minus 22 air has more water vapor than it has room for. So the vapor precipitates out by clinging to microscopic particles in the air, such as sodium or calcium, and forming crystals. This is just what goes into the formation of snowflakes.
Did boiling water turn to snow in Canada?
In a video posted on Weather.com, a woman tosses a cup of boiling water into the air on a minus 22 Fahrenheit day (minus 30 Celsius) in Canada's Northwest Territories. The water starting out at roughly 212 F (100 C) instantly turns to snow upon hitting the air and blows away. The video has been all...
How does this water turn into snow when it hits air?
The water starting out at roughly 212 F (100 C) instantly turns to snow upon hitting the air and blows away. The video has been all over blogs and Twitter in the past few days, with many folks wondering how the trick works. Mark Seeley, a climatologist at the University of Minnesota, explained it to Life's Little Mysteries.
Why does boiling water steam when it's Cold Outside?
"When it's cold outside, there's hardly any water vapor present in the air, whereas boiling water emits vapor very readily that's why it's steaming," Seeley says. "When you throw the water up in the air, it breaks into much smaller droplets, so there's even more surface for water vapor to come off of. "Now,...
What happens when you boil water at minus 22 degrees?
There's just fundamentally less space for the vapor molecules," Seeley explains. "So when you throw the boiling water up, suddenly the minus 22 air has more water vapor than it has room for. So the vapor precipitates out by clinging to microscopic particles in the air, such as sodium or calcium, and forming crystals.
Can you throw hot water on snow?
It needs to be very cold outside to make instant snow with boiling water. You can make some snow below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, but it's much better if the temperature is -10 or colder. You may know you can make your own snow using a pressure washer, but did you know you can make instant snow with boiling water?
Can you pour boiling water on icy sidewalk?
It's important to remove hard ice off of your driveway to prevent falls. To speed up the process, pour hot or warm water over the ice. The water will partially thaw the ice, at which point you should throw on the rock salt.
Is pouring boiling water on ice a good idea?
The American Automobile Association (AAA) and the Automobile Association (AA) both recommend against using hot water on a windshield, which can crack or shatter glass due to the sudden change in temperature ( here , here ).
Can I throw hot water on my car to melt snow?
Pouring hot water on your vehicle's windshield to melt the ice could actually crack or shatter the glass due to extreme temperature changes. "While it may be tempting to quickly thaw out your windshield with hot water, it's a very bad idea.
How can I melt a lot of snow fast?
Option 1: Hot Water It melts pretty immediately. The same is true of that big pile of snow in your driveway when you douse it with hot water. The fastest way to cover the snow in hot water is with a hose. Connect a hose to a faucet, turn hot water on full blast, and spray the pile until it melts.
How do you clear snow fast?
Outdoor electric heat is the only chemical-free option to clear snow from driveways and walkways. Regular use of chemicals for snow melting take a toll on pets, cars, gardens, and driveway surfaces. The deterioration caused by snow melting products is an additional cost often forgotten.
How do I remove frozen snow from my driveway?
In a bucket, combine a half-gallon of hot water, about six drops of dish soap, and 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol. Once you pour the mixture onto your sidewalk or driveway, the snow and ice will begin to bubble up and melt. Just keep a shovel handy to scrape away any leftover pieces of ice.
How do you melt snow without salt?
Create a Hot Water, Soap, and Rubbing Alcohol Mixture Simply grab a bucket and add half of a gallon of hot water, one-fourth a cup of rubbing alcohol, and around six drops of dish soap. Once it's all combined, you pour the solution over the driveway. The snow should bubble up and begin melting.
How do I remove snow from my driveway?
The best options are:A heavy-duty snow blower.Attaching a snow plow to a truck, ATV, or snowmobile.Paying for a professional service to clear snow from your driveway.Diligently treating your driveway with deicer before and after snowfall.Installing a heating system to melt snow off your driveway.
How do I get my car out of snow without a shovel?
If you don't have a shovel handy, try using a screwdriver, ice scraper or another tool to at least break up any ice that's formed below the tires. A rougher surface area provides more traction. Also dig out the tailpipe before you start the engine.
What is the fastest way to melt ice on the sidewalk?
In a bucket, combine a half-gallon of hot water, about six drops of dish soap, and 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol. Once you pour the mixture onto your sidewalk or driveway, the snow and ice will begin to bubble up and melt. Just keep a shovel handy to scrape away any leftover pieces of ice.
Can you pour boiling water on concrete?
Boiling Water Hot water is one of the cheapest and easiest options to help you stop weeds growing in your concrete.
What should I put down on my icy sidewalk?
For those hoping to avoid salt altogether, there are a number of alternatives for managing icy surfaces, including:Sand, sawdust, coffee grinds and kitty litter. ... Juice from sugar beets lowers the melting point of ice and snow and is considered safe for animals, plants and concrete.More items...•
What is best to use on icy sidewalks?
Gravel, Wood Chips, Straw or Sawdust Other great options to add traction to icy walkways and driveways are gravel, wood chips, straw, or sawdust. These substances don't harm your concrete, and they don't hurt the environment. Since these treatments don't melt ice and snow, it's a good idea to be proactive.
What happens when you throw hot water in the air?
The molecules in hot water are moving fast - the hotter it is, the faster they're moving. Quickly moving molecules jump around and become water vapor, so when you throw them up into the air, you're really throwing up a hot water and a lot of hot gas (the water vapor, which is mixed in with the water as bubbles and also forming as the hot water evaporates).
How does hot water freeze?
The gas freezes instantly in a process called deposition, and it breaks the hot water into tiny liquid bubbles, which also freeze quickly into tiny ice crystals. The tiny ice crystals form a cloud just like the thin, wispy cirrus clouds you see up high on sunny days.
How do ice crystals form?
Ice crystals form most easily when the water contains impurities. Atoms or molecules not normally found in water (chlorine , fluorine, salts, etc) act as seeds for ice crystals to form. The more impurities in the water, the quicker ice crystals begin to form in the liquid water. Tap water or rain water from a bucket would work better in this case than filtered, purified, or distilled water. The latter will not make ice crystals nearly as readily as the former.
What temperature does water freeze?
Obviously, the warmer it is, the less of your liquid water will freeze. At 10 degrees Fahrenheit, almost none of your water will freeze (and you will end up with rain). At 0 degrees Fahrenheit, most of our water froze. I have seen videos of other people throwing boiling water into the air at colder temperatures with even better results. We may try it again this afternoon, when the temperature is supposed to closer to 5, just to see what happens.
Why doesn't cold water work?
Cold water won't work in this experiment because it produces practically no water vapor. The molecules are moving slowly, very little water is evaporating, and it will take minutes or longer to freeze. It would not have time to freeze in the air.
Can you freeze water with a water gun?
Incidentally, if you had a water gun that would safely spray boiling water, it would freeze impressively .
Can you take boiling water outside?
Take the boiling water outside. (Boiling water should be handled and transported only by an adult.)
