Melting Ice On Warm and Cold Plates

This experiment demonstrates that ice can melt faster on a plate that feels cold than on one that feels warm, revealing how heat conduction, not temperature alone, affects melting. Materials that conduct heat efficiently transfer energy more quickly to the ice, causing faster melting.

1. Gather two plates or flat objects—one that feels cold to the touch (such as metal or glass) and one that feels warm (such as plastic, paper, or wood).
2. Leave both plates at room temperature for several minutes.
3. Touch each plate with your hand or forehead to see which feels colder.
4. Place one ice cube on each plate at the same time.
5. Observe and record which ice cube melts faster.
6. Discuss and explain why the ice cube on the “cold” plate melts first, even though both plates are at the same temperature.

Warm and cold plates - The Experiment Archive:

Feels colder, melts ice faster! Full Explanation of the black square demo. - Point Source Science:

📄 Warm and cold plates - Experiment Archive: https://www.experimentarchive.com/experiments/warm-and-cold-plates/

• Try plates made from different materials (metal, glass, plastic, wood, ceramic) to compare melting rates.
• Test plates of the same material but different thicknesses or sizes.
• Place a drinking glass over one ice cube to trap air and compare melting speed.
• Test materials outdoors or on various surfaces such as stone, concrete, or wood.

• Avoid touching very cold metal for long periods to prevent discomfort.

• Why does the ice melt faster on the plate that feels cold? (It conducts heat better, transferring thermal energy from the surroundings to the ice more efficiently.)
• Are both plates the same temperature at the start? (Yes, they are at room temperature; one just feels colder due to higher heat conductivity.)
• What does it mean for a material to be a good conductor of heat? (It allows heat energy to move quickly through it.)
• Which materials are the best and worst conductors of heat in your tests? (Metals are typically the best conductors; plastics and wood are poor conductors.)
• Why does metal feel colder to your hand than plastic even when both are at the same temperature? (Metal draws heat away from your hand faster, making your skin feel colder.)