All Science Fair Projects

Keeping ice from melting

Is there an alternative to the foam cooler box?. There will be instances when we are out on a picnic or on an outdoor trip and we need something to keep our ice from melting - and what if we can't get hold of a cooler box? Although ice cannot be prevented from melting , there are ways to keep it frozen for just a little longer. Thermally insulated cooler boxes are pretty good for this. These containers prevent the transfer of heat from the inside of the container to the exterior and vice-versa. Ice buckets and Styrofoam boxes take advantage of this principle to keep ice from melting. Common thermal insulators include nylon lined fabrics, styrofoam and hard plastics.

But perhaps . keeping ice in light-colored containers or reflective containers might also help keep it  frozen. Theoretically, lighter colors and reflective surfaces absorb less radiation from the sun. This should mean that a smaller quantity of heat would be and therefore the ice should melt more gradually. As an alternative to reflective containers, perhaps the ice can be covered with aluminum foil to obtain similar results.