Description

The Science of Ice on the Window Pane 

The conditions were ripe for snow and a “bad” snowstorm.  It was winter 2016 and it had not been too bad compared to last winter.   And then Boston got 8-12 inches.  As always the snow left a trail of beauty particularly when viewed from the inside of a warm house.  A day after the snowstorm the temperatures surged downward to zero degrees F.  The frost formed on the window panes of the kitchen bay window .

The shapes of ice on the frosty window were very heterogeneous and formed 4 basic layers as a result of the difference in temperature between the bottom of the window compared to the top.  Additionally since the temperature of the kitchen was warm parts of the frosted window melted and the resulting liquid bubbles were subject to the effect of gravity.

The relatively warm top part of the window showed a few ice crystals of collected fallen snow (layer 1) which quickly melted to form small bubbles of water (layer 2).  Gravity caused these water bubbles to flow downward and get a little larger as they accumulated smaller bubbles to form the bigger bubbles (later 3).

When they reached the bottom part of the pane the temperature was lowest  resulting in crystallisation and formation of a beautiful gem structures .

 

This art piece demonstrates the power of the units to unity in a changing environment of temperature.

 

Related categories:  forces, shape, units to unity, time, bonds and connections, forces, water theme