Heat exchange between body and environment

[PavelDV]

Hey guys,

If I have a cube of ice at a certain T1 and I´m leaving it at ambient T, how do we measure the time required for the ice to melt? That is, how do we quantify the rate of the heat exchange between environment and ice?

Thanks...

 

[xts]

It is practically impossible to predict melting time in such case. It strongly depends on lots of factors, very difficult to control or even measure.

Compare 4 icecubes:
- put one into a coffe cup, then leave on the table
- put second on a flat dish, then leave on the same table (table in still place, like corner of the room)
- put third on a flat dish, then leave it in a place, where there is some airflow (on the floor in a door)
- hang fourth on a thread in the same room.

All of them are in the same 'ambient temprature', but melting times will differ by factor of 10 or even more.