Ice Investigations Worksheet

Water may be a very common substance, but it is also very special. It is the only material that we can find as a liquid, a solid and a gas at everyday temperatures.

In this worksheet we will explore some of the properties of solid water, commonly known as ice!

Ice cubes

Take a glass of water and drop some ice cubes into it. What happens to the level of water in the glass?

It goes up.

It stays the same.

It goes down.

Leave the ice cubes to melt in the water. What happens to the level of water in the glass now?

It goes up.

It stays the same.

It goes down.

Take two ice cubes and sprinkle a little salt on one of them. What happens?

The ice cube without the salt melts faster.

The salty cube melts faster.

Both cubes melt at the same time.

Carefully fill an ice cube tray to the top with water and put in the freezer. Once it has frozen take it out and have a look at it. What do you see?

The ice cubes have shrunk down in the tray.

The ice cubes are at the same level as the water when you poured it in.

The ice cubes have expanded above the top of the tray.

Do you know how much of the Earth's water is in the form of snow or ice?

Icebergs

half

a quarter

a tenth

a fiftieth

Why do icebergs float?

Because ice expands as it freezes so it is less dense than water.

Because icebergs touch the bottom of the ocean.

ANSWERS

Question 1

Take a glass of water and drop some ice cubes into it. What happens to the level of water in the glass?

CORRECT ANSWER

It goes up.

EDDIE SAYS

When you put the ice in the water it pushes some of the water out of the way, making the level go up.

ANSWERS

Question 2

Leave the ice cubes to melt in the water. What happens to the level of water in the glass now?

CORRECT ANSWER

It stays the same.

EDDIE SAYS

Even though some of the ice was above the water as it floated in the glass, the water level stays the same when the ice melts.

ANSWERS

Question 3

Take two ice cubes and sprinkle a little salt on one of them. What happens?

CORRECT ANSWER

The salty cube melts faster.

EDDIE SAYS

Adding salt to the ice lowers the temperature at which it freezes so it will melt more quickly. In freezing weather grit, which contains salt, is spread on roads to stop them becoming icy.

ANSWERS

Question 4

Carefully fill an ice cube tray to the top with water and put in the freezer. Once it has frozen take it out and have a look at it. What do you see?

CORRECT ANSWER

The ice cubes have expanded above the top of the tray.

EDDIE SAYS

When water freezes it expands. This is why water pipes sometimes burst in very cold weather.

ANSWERS

Question 5

Do you know how much of the Earth's water is in the form of snow or ice?

Icebergs

CORRECT ANSWER

a fiftieth

EDDIE SAYS

Two per cent, or a fiftieth, of the water on Earth is frozen.

ANSWERS

Question 6

Why do icebergs float?

CORRECT ANSWER

Because ice expands as it freezes so it is less dense than water.

EDDIE SAYS

Because water expands as it freezes it means that any weight of liquid water takes up less space than the same weight of ice. Because the ice is less dense than the water it floats. You can see this happen when you float ice cubes in a drink.