Physics Project Work

On The Topic:
Hot Water Freezes
Faster Than Cold Water
BY-Palden lhamo dorji
Roll No:12

Contents
Acknowledgement………………………………………..
Introduction………………………………………………
Abstract ……………………………………………….
Hypothesis..……………………………………………….
Research questions……………………………………...
Background information……………………………….
Methodology………………………………………………
Experimental set up……………………………………
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Figure3. Experimental setup…………………………..
Procedure……………………………………….….....
Data analysis………………………………………….
Result…………………………………………………
Conclusion……………………………………………..

INTRODUCTION
I choose this topic to do the project as water may be one of the most abundant
compounds on Earth, but it is also one of the mysterious compounds. For
example, like most of liquids it becomes denser as it cools. But unlike them, it
reaches a state of maximum density at 4®c and then becomes less dense before it
freeze. In solid form, it is less dense still, which is why standard ice floats on
water. That’s one reason why life on earth has flourished. If ice were denser than
water, lakes and oceans would freeze from button up, almost certainly preventing
the kind of chemistry that makes life possible. Water resources occupy a special
place among other natural resources. Water is the most widely distributed
substance on our planet: albeit in different amounts, it is everywhere and plays a
vital role in both environment and human life.
Even water has mysterious character, hot water freeze faster than cold water, it is
indeed a wonder. The ability of hot water to freeze faster than cold water seems
counter-intuitive as it would seem that hot water must first become cold water
and therefore the time required for this will always delay its freezing relative to
cold water but by no means hot water appears to freeze faster than same amount
of cold water. But why?

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I will answer the above question in background information and do experiment to
verify my hypothesis with more validation. The purpose of this project is to
compare the time taken to freeze between the two water ( hot and cold ). This
will be accompanied by experimentation and comparative studies. This research
will include information about Mpemba effect.

Abstract
This physic project seems like it should have easy answer. Instead, it
turns out to have a great illustration of why it is important to base
scientific conclusion on the outcome of the controlled experiments.
Things don’t always turn out as we aspect.

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Hypothesis
“If hot water and cold water are left to freeze then hot water would freeze faster
because hot water release heat faster causing it to freeze faster”
To further explore my assumption and verify my hypothesis, I will try answering
the following questions:

Research Questions
How the discovery took place?
Why hot water freeze faster than cold water?
What makes hot water to freeze faster than cold water?
Why does Mpemba effect occurs?

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Background information
Edward and Denis stated that, “The strange Mpemba effect, hot water freezing
more quickly than cold water is known as Mpemba effect, named after Tanzanian
student who discovered that a hot ice cream mix freezes faster than cold mix in
cookery class in 1960s.” (In fact, the effect has been noted by many scientists
throughout the history including Aristotle, Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes.)
The Mpemba effect is the observation that warm water freezes more quickly than
cold water. The effect has been measured on many occasions with many
explanations put forward.

Chaplin stated that warm water containers make better thermal contact with a
refrigerator and so conduct heat more efficiently. Hence, fast freezing. Another is
that warm water evaporates rapidly and since this is an endothermic process, it
cools the water making it freeze more quickly.

Another possible cause for the Mpemba is the mass of the water. Though both
bodies of the water start out with the same mass, the sample that is heated
probably loses some of its mass in evaporation. This means that when they are
cooling down the warmer water could in fact have a lower mass then the sample

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of colder water. Since the warmer water has the lower mass, it will be easier to
freeze than the sample of cold water.

Today Xi and co say hydrogen bods can also explain the Mpemba effect. Single
water by sale water molecule consists of a relatively large oxygen atom joined to
the two smaller hydrogen by standard covalent bonds. Hydrogen bonds are
weaker than covalent bonds but stronger than Vander Waals forces. Their key
ideas is that hydrogen bonds bring water molecules into contact and when this
happens the natural repulsion between the molecules causes the covalent O-H
bonds to stretch and store energy. But as the liquid warms up, it forces the
hydrogen bonds to stretch and the water molecules sit further apart.

Fig 1. Difference in hydrogen bonding in hot and cold water.

This allows the covalent molecules to shrinks again and gives up their energy.
The important point is that this process in which the covalent bonds give up
energy is equivalent to cooling. In fact, the effect is additional to the
conventional process of cooling. So, warm water ought to cool faster than cold
water. And that’s exactly what is observed in the Mpemba effect.

Kinetic energy Is more warm compared to cold water so, when the water is left to
freeze cold water will enter the hot water faster than cold water due to
randomness of the particle in hot water. Whereas there will be formation of frost
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layer on cold water insulating the coldness to enter the inner part of the water.
Thus, hot water will freeze faster than cold water.

Water will have different solutes dissolved in it. But when the water is left to
boil, different concentration of solutes such as carbon dioxide are driven off. Hot
water, thus, due to less impurities concentration, will freeze faster than cold
water. I based this idea on the statement “freezing point decreases on adding
impurities”. When impurities are present in cold water, it would lower the
freezing point of cold water. This means that cold water now freezes at lower
temperature than hot water where the impurities are removed through boiling.

Fig2. Experimental observation made when the containers were placed in freezer.

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When the hot water is placed a refrigerator, due to large difference in temperature
between water and refrigerator, hot water will rapidly cool down compared to
cold water due to unique bond of water. Thus, hot water freezes faster than cold
water.
Moreover, hot water will melt the frost layer in freezer establishing better
thermal contact between the container and the freeze. Thus, there will be better
establishing of heat energy between the systems.

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Methodology
My project is indeed a mystery, if we asked other people, which will freeze
faster, hot water or cold water? They may all give me the same answer; cold
water. I too thought the same before starting this project. But theories proved me
wrong. 
Nothing becomes a grand success without methods and help being involved in
any project and experimentation. To be successful and compile this project into a
good shape, I shall follow up certain methodology. Firstly, I shall get help from
my physics tutor to incorporate feedbacks and necessary information on my
topic. I shall also get her guidance to conduct experiment and as a chief editor to
my project.
Secondly, I shall get information related to my project from the school library to
referring physcs reference books and journals.
Thirdly, to be more precise on my project and to support my hypotheses I will
comduct an experiment with the help of materials listed based on procedure.
I shall draw graph to analyze the result from the experiment to verify my
assumption.
I will make use of qualitative and quantitative researches to prove my hypothesis
with more precision.

Material required
1) Freezer
2) Beakers of equal size and shape 
3) Sticky labels 
4) Marker
5) Water measuring cup  
6) Thermometer
7) Notebook, pencil 

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8) Alarm clock

            Figure 3. Experimental setup

Procedure:
1. Take two beakers labeled hot water and cold water. I took hot water (55Oc) and cold water
(30Oc) of 200ml each in the beaker respectively.
 2. Placed the two beakers in the freezer at the same time respectively.
3. Open the freezer door after every ten minutes to record the temperature.
4. Repeat step 3 until both the beakers have frozen over.

Data analysis 
Figure 3 shows hot water and cold water; molecules in hot water are loosely packed due to
heat energy. And its kinetic energy also increases and the particles of water become random.
Its chemical bond also becomes weak due to heat. Thus, due to large inter-molecules space
between the molecules of hot water, cold tries to enter through the space freezing the hot
water faster than cold water.

Figure 4. Evaporation of hot water (experimental setup )

Due to evaporation there will be the decrease in the volume of hot water. And it is evident
that freezing of water is inversely proportional to the volume of the water. Thus, less
volume, faster the water will freeze.

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When the hot water and cold water are placed in freezer at the same time, there is a huge
decrease in temperature of hot water compared to the temperature of cold water as shown in
table 1.1 below, thus hot water freeze faster than cold water.

Result
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Table 1.1 cooling temperature of hot and cold water
Temperature in Celsius
SL NO Times in minutes Hot Water Cold Water

1 0 55 30

2 10 41 18

3 20 33 15

4 30 25 11

5 40 19 9

6 50 16 8

7 60 11 7

8 70 7 6

9 80 5 6

10 90 4 5.5

11 100 Frozen Slightly froze

After 100 minutes, hot water was frozen but cold water was partly frozen.

Conclusion

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“Hot water freezes faster than cold water”, was a mystery. But when I compared my
experiment, mystery became a fact. When I placed the equal amount of hot water and cold
water in freezer, hot water froze faster than cold water due to hot water releasing large
amount of heat. Thus, my hypothesis was valid and true in real life.
Working in this project ‘Mpemba effect’ was an enriching moment to me. It was indeed a
first handy experiment to learn science practically. Indeed, this project was a mystery but
after working on this I could prove that hot water freezes faster than cold water practically
with experiment. I have learned that learning things practically enhances curiosity in minds
of youths to learn and discover the thing unlike theoretical study. I have also learnt that we
understand when we do.
To gather the information was difficult for me because there was no valid explanation and
sources to surf. In line with this, to do experimental setup and maintain the temperature was
difficult because of non-ideals surrounding and limited resources.
Reflecting on all the invaluable skills, knowledge, lessons and values derived from the
project work, I can confidently say that it was worth doing. The time spent for the laborious
work ws not a waste at all. The harvest was bountiful in all aspects.
Now I am well equipped to carry out science projects in the future. Definitely it’s going to be
much easier if I undertake such task in coming days. I will continue to take interest in
research work, practical and projects.

Bibliography

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Danis, A. (oct 1995). “super cooling and mpemba effect”. When hot water freezes faster than
cold water”. American journal of physics.
Elsker.J. 9199. “ the freezing of hot and cold water”. American journal of molecular
structure.pp.245-251
Chisst,w. (2007) The Mpemba effect. Department of physics, university of Bristol.2007
Dorsey, N.E(2013). The freezing of super cooled water (American philosophical). Literally
licensing, LLC 2013.
Garret, R.H (oct 13 2008) Hot and cold water supply, john wiley and Sons.
Kell, G.S(May 1969) “ the freezing of hot and cold water”.2 American journal of physics.
Linden, H.C (2017, Nov. 16). Mpemba effect. Retrieved august 15, 2019, from
https;//www.mature,com/articles/srep 377765: https;//www.nature.com/articles/srep 37765
Edward, L. (2017, Nov, 16). Mystery Mpemba effect solved. Retrieved august 8, 2019, from
https;//cosmosmagazine.com/phy/mystert solved-why-hot-water-freezes-faster-than-cold-
water.:  https;/cosmosmagazine.com/phy/mystery solved-why-hot-water-freezes-faster-than-
cold-water.

Thank You

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