Solve 10 US gal of Jell-O Freezing in Locker Freezer at -10 °F

  • Thread starter Jell-O Man
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In summary, the conversation is about a person asking for help in calculating the time it would take for a solution to cool down to a certain temperature in a freezer. The solution is made using 10 US gallons of water and is placed in a 10 cubic ft locker freezer with an ambient temperature of -10 degrees(F). The person is not a student trying to get someone else to do their work, but has been out of school for 7 years and needs assistance. Another person then joins the conversation, asking for help in calculating the specific heat of Jell-O for a science project they are working on.
  • #1
Jell-O Man
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As I am actually performing this, it occurred to me I'm a bit rusty and cannot define the formula to calculate the following process. Anyone who can solve this and show a proof, your help would be appreciated. NO, I'm not a student looking for someone to do my work, I've been out of school for 7 years... which is why I'm rusty.

10 US gal of a solution is made using 5 gal of boiling water, added to 5 gal of a solution (which is 99% water).
These 10 gal are then placed in an empty locker freezer, which is approx 10 cubic ft, and has an ambient temp of -10 degrees(F).

My question is: how long should it take to cool the solution to 35 degrees(F)?
I have not been able to figure out cold output of the freezer, so answer would have to use a variable to define the strength of the freezer's output in the formula for "t".

Thanks in advance.
 
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  • #2
Without going into a huge heat transfer analysis, I'd estimate it using Newton's law of cooling:

[tex]q = m C_p \Delta T[/tex]

The only thing you'll have to do is to use a bit of chemistry to calculate the specific heat of the mixture. Once you know that, you need the capacity of the freezer in some units along the lines of btu/min to calculate the time necessary.
 
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  • #3
Hello,

I am a student doing a science project where I need to know the specific heat of Jell-O. I googled "specific heat of Jell-O" and this thread came up. Sorry to be a bit random, but do you know the specific heat of Jell-O? It would help me immensely, as I have not had enough schooling yet to know how to calculate this.

Thank you,

A middle school student
 

1. How do you solve 10 US gal of Jell-O freezing in a locker freezer at -10 °F?

To solve this problem, you will need to use the formula Q = mCΔT, where Q is the amount of heat transferred, m is the mass of the Jell-O, C is the specific heat capacity of the Jell-O, and ΔT is the change in temperature. First, determine the mass of the Jell-O in grams. Then, find the specific heat capacity of gelatin (the main ingredient in Jell-O), which is 2.27 J/g·°C. Finally, plug in the values and solve for Q. This will tell you how much heat is needed to thaw 10 US gal of Jell-O at -10 °F.

2. Can I use a different type of Jell-O for this experiment?

Yes, you can use any type of Jell-O for this experiment as long as you adjust the specific heat capacity accordingly. Different types of Jell-O may have different ingredients and therefore different specific heat capacities, so be sure to do your research before attempting the experiment.

3. How long will it take for the Jell-O to thaw in the locker freezer at -10 °F?

The time it takes for the Jell-O to thaw will depend on the amount of heat applied to it. Once you have calculated Q, you can use the formula t = Q / P, where t is time, Q is the amount of heat transferred (calculated in the first question), and P is the power of the freezer (typically 500 watts for a standard locker freezer). This will give you an estimate of the time it will take for the Jell-O to thaw.

4. Is it safe to use a locker freezer for this experiment?

Yes, it is safe to use a locker freezer for this experiment as long as the Jell-O is properly sealed and does not come into direct contact with the freezer's cooling elements. It is important to also make sure the freezer is clean and free of any potential contaminants.

5. What is the purpose of this experiment?

The purpose of this experiment is to demonstrate how to calculate the amount of heat needed to thaw a specific amount of Jell-O at a certain temperature and how to estimate the time it will take to thaw. This experiment also highlights the importance of understanding specific heat capacity and its role in heat transfer processes.

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