What types of food spoil the fastest?

[Schrodinger's Dog]

The experiment

Hypothesis: Does warm water freeze faster than cold water?

There is a well known effect whereby hot water will freeze faster than cool water, my intent is to show whether under scientific conditions we can observe this effect.

Method

I have taken 5 different specimins of water and five controls of the same temperature for each dish of water, the dishes are all the same size and all filled to the same level.

The small dishes are all on the same level of the freezer and all pretty much in a simillar position so the temperature should be simillar.

I have boiled some water and then left it pouring out the water, leaving it for fifteen minutes then bringing another source to the boil and letting it cool for the fifteen pouring and the same for the third except without leaving it to cool.

Temperatures are about 100, 80, 55 degrees c respectively the other samples are at room temperature, and near freezing.

I will monitor the water every 15 minutes, and then report every half hour.

Equipment

10 dishes
3 pots for water
a thermometer
a gas stove
some water
a dog
a cup of tea

Ok we have a go on the experiment, I left the chilled water in the freezer for a while so it's pretty close to 0 although no freezing yet. Hopefully this will suffice. Results posted as and when.

Wish me luck

 

[Schrodinger's Dog]

After even just 15 minutes the iced water is freezing, the room temperature water has an ice crust on top, the others are unfrozen so far.

 

[Schrodinger's Dog]

Ok half an hour after the fifteen minute update, oddly the cool water appears from the look of it to be freezing faster than the hot but the 80 degree water is cooling the slowest of all and still has no ice cover on it, the ice water is practically frozen, with a liquid centre.

 

[Schrodinger's Dog]

Ok pretty dull now, the chilled water has pretty much frozen to ice cubes or I should say ice dishes or discs I suppose anyone know what they're called? The room temperature water appears on the surface to be freezing faster but I don't want to risk removing the water until I'm sure it's all frozen around the water so for now I don't know. The 80 degree water still appears the slowest, the 100 degree water appears to be freezing faster than both the 50 degree and the 80 degree but it's difficult to tell atm.

The dog has flaked out on the bed btw, in case anyones interested.

 

[Schrodinger's Dog]

Looks like this going to be fairly clear cut, the room temperature water is almost frozen, the 50 degree is now freezing about as fast as 80 degree with the 100 degree being more frozen at the moment but here really isn't much in it.

Dog has roused himself to sigh occasionally, otherwise he appears disinterested. Probably not aware of the ramifications of science. Maybe he's a creationist?

He has just burst in my room and picked up the rubber chicken, I think it's because he's found a victim to throw it for him.

 

[Schrodinger's Dog]

I'm going to call it.

The ice water froze first.

The room temperature water second

The 100 degree water third.

The 80 and 50 degree at about the same times but I think the 80 was last.

There is an effect but it doesn't seem as pronounced as the "myth" makes out.

Conclusions

Iced water freezes the fastest room temperature the second fastest with boiling water third then 50 degrees then 80 degrees, it's obvious to me that the boiling has some sort of effect but it's not really clear cut enough to expand further on that. As to why this is true I suggest you explore the link given on this thread. But for now it seems to me that room temperature or cold water freezes faster than hot water.

Well it's been a quick one this time but we have exposed the experiment to science and found the idea somewhat wanting, of course follow up experiments will be needed but, I'll leave that to you guys to take this forward from the theoretical to the proven.

Let me know if anyone else decides to do it and what the results are.

The controls reacted the same as the others.

Acknowledgements

It's not every day people get a glimpse into the realm of science, you should feel humbled. The ignorant mask of hypothesis has been torn from the face of knowledge and now we see it's beauty bare.

As ever thanks to all my encouragers and for the experimental idea, you know who you are, and thanks to all the others for contributions.

The dog is getting big love, I'm felling all loved up, it's one of those moments.

If I can think of another quick experiment I might do another one, but until then keep living the dream people

 

[radou]

Thumbs up Schrog, that's the spirit!

I have a hypothesis that the tram/bus always comes when you're waiting on a station and when you light up a cigarette. As if the heartless metal means of public transport care about public health. Something to think about.

 

[turbo]

SD, I would suggest that you do it again, and follow the second step in the procedure that I suggested. After you take your samples at the various temperatures and various boiling times, put them in the refrigerator until they cool to the same temperature, THEN put them in the freezer and time them. The hypothesis is that outgassing, etc, may effect the speed with which the samples freeze even when they all entered the freezer with the same temperature. In other words, even if the samples all enter the freezer at a temperature of 42 deg F (for example), will the previous history of heating have an effect on how fast the water freezes.

 

[Schrodinger's Dog]

SD, I would suggest that you do it again, and follow the second step in the procedure that I suggested. After you take your samples at the various temperatures and various boiling times, put them in the refrigerator until they cool to the same temperature, THEN put them in the freezer and time them. The hypothesis is that outgassing, etc, may effect the speed with which the samples freeze even when they all entered the freezer with the same temperature. In other words, even if the samples all enter the freezer at a temperature of 42 deg F (for example), will the previous history of heating have an effect on how fast the water freezes.

Yes problem was I didn't really have the time to do that last night but I'll repeat it again on Saturday probably when I've got a bit more time. For now though I think 100 degree water freezes slightly quicker than 80-50 degree water but not as fast as room to chilled water,it's pretty much debunked this myth. I'm sure if I repeated it a dozen times - and I'm assuming everyone else has performed this experiment under simillar conditions as mine - I'd get the same results. It's pretty much bull plop IMO, albeit a tentative one.

It seems to me the effect happens more to do with certain conditions as the link states than because of the water's temperature, rather the effect this has on the water.

 

[hypatia]

Very cool! ...errr or should I say cold?