STEAMwork | nature spotlight
ice excavation
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Join us for an icy adventure in this week’s STEAMwork nature spotlight. We’re finding, freezing, and then rediscovering natural treasures through excavation—though we could hold on to those flower ice cubes for a bit longer.
materials
ice cube tray or freezer safe container
natural objects (grass, leaves, sticks, rocks, flowers)
large container for exploration
tools for excavation (old toothbrush, fork, q-tip)
warm and cold water
salt
additional resources
Freezing-point depression occurs when the typical freezing point of a liquid is lowered by adding another substance to it. The new solution has a lower freezing point than that of the pure solvent. In this experiment, the addition of salt changes the freezing point of liquid water (0 degrees Celsius/32 degrees Fahrenheit), which causes the ice to melt. This is why people put salt on roads and walkways in the winter time.
more STEAM learning
podcast
STEAM Daydream with National Children's Museum, a podcast that elevates children’s voices and answers their biggest questions.