Why doesn’t the ocean freeze solid like lakes and ponds? Investigate the reason why ocean water doesn’t freeze solid.
Investigative Question: What doesn’t the ocean freeze?
Materials: two bowls of water, salt, paper, pencil or drawing materials and access to a freezer
Step 1: Fill two bowls with water.
Step 2: Add salt to one bowl.
Step 3: Place both bowls in the freezer. Predict what you think will happen. Draw what will happen to the two bowls of water.
Step 4: Periodically check on what is happening as the two bowls of water are in the freezer.
Step 5: After several hours, compare what happened to the two different bowls of water to your prediction. How did the water change? Why do you think one bowl was frozen solid and one bowl was not?
The science behind it: The salt in the ocean water helps the water not freeze except in really cold regions like Antartica.
Science Extension: Observe what happens as the ice melts. How does the water change?
Technology Extension: Use a timer to see how long it takes for your solid bowl of ice to melt?
Engineering Extension: What can you build with ice cubes?
Art Extension: Paint with ice.
Math Extension: Predict how long you think it will take for your solid bowl of ice to melt.
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