How to Supercool Water
Gather the necessary materials., Fill the cup 1/4 of the way up with purified water., Fill the bowl with ice., Sprinkle two tablespoons of salt over the ice., Wait about 15 minutes or when the thermometer shows the water is below freezing., Initiate...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Gather the necessary materials.
For this method, you will need salt, purified water, a small clean glass or plastic cup, a large bowl, and ice.
If you have a thermometer it would also be useful, but not necessary.
Make sure your glass is very clean; any impurities can cause the water to crystallize into ice before supercooling occurs.
The bowl must be large enough to contain the glass and enough ice to submerge the glass. -
Step 2: Fill the cup 1/4 of the way up with purified water.
The amount of water added doesn’t have to be exact.
Add enough that you will be able to measure the temperature, but not so much that you won’t be able to surround the cup with ice above the water line.Place the cup in the center of the bowl. , Add enough ice so that glass Be careful not to drop any ice into the cup of water.
Covering the cup before you add ice and salt is a good way to prevent accidental contamination. , Adding salt to the ice lowers its freezing point.
With a lower freezing point, the temperature around the glass can get cooler.
Again, be careful not to get any salt into the glass/cup.
At this point you can add a clean thermometer if you have one. , Because this reaction works faster than the freezer, you’ll want to watch your water carefully.
If you have a thermometer, you will be able to see exactly when the water is below freezing.
If you leave the water for too long, it will freeze.
If you don’t have a thermometer, you can set-up a second bowl with tap water.
When the tap water freezes, your purified water should be super-cooled. , There are two fun ways to cause the water to freeze: drop a piece of ice into the glass/cup or pouring the water onto a piece of ice.
After dropping in the ice, the water should freeze quickly freeze in the glass/cup.
This is often called snap freezing.Pouring the water onto ice will cause the water to freeze as you pour. -
Step 3: Fill the bowl with ice.
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Step 4: Sprinkle two tablespoons of salt over the ice.
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Step 5: Wait about 15 minutes or when the thermometer shows the water is below freezing.
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Step 6: Initiate ice crystallization.
Detailed Guide
For this method, you will need salt, purified water, a small clean glass or plastic cup, a large bowl, and ice.
If you have a thermometer it would also be useful, but not necessary.
Make sure your glass is very clean; any impurities can cause the water to crystallize into ice before supercooling occurs.
The bowl must be large enough to contain the glass and enough ice to submerge the glass.
The amount of water added doesn’t have to be exact.
Add enough that you will be able to measure the temperature, but not so much that you won’t be able to surround the cup with ice above the water line.Place the cup in the center of the bowl. , Add enough ice so that glass Be careful not to drop any ice into the cup of water.
Covering the cup before you add ice and salt is a good way to prevent accidental contamination. , Adding salt to the ice lowers its freezing point.
With a lower freezing point, the temperature around the glass can get cooler.
Again, be careful not to get any salt into the glass/cup.
At this point you can add a clean thermometer if you have one. , Because this reaction works faster than the freezer, you’ll want to watch your water carefully.
If you have a thermometer, you will be able to see exactly when the water is below freezing.
If you leave the water for too long, it will freeze.
If you don’t have a thermometer, you can set-up a second bowl with tap water.
When the tap water freezes, your purified water should be super-cooled. , There are two fun ways to cause the water to freeze: drop a piece of ice into the glass/cup or pouring the water onto a piece of ice.
After dropping in the ice, the water should freeze quickly freeze in the glass/cup.
This is often called snap freezing.Pouring the water onto ice will cause the water to freeze as you pour.
About the Author
Elizabeth Williams
Writer and educator with a focus on practical home improvement knowledge.
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