Physical science question for you.

[callbay]

My son was at our local marina that has a new snow cone machine. He said to break in the machine, so to speak, they were adding vodka to the snow cones.

He said that the vodka that came out of the freezer was making the snow cones melt faster. He said it was because the vodka has a lower freezing temperature than the ice in the snow cones.

I said that it was not the case. If the vodka and the ice were the same temperature like zero degrees it would not melt faster unless there was some other reason that either the vodka was still a liquid or that the vodka had some sort of chemical reaction to the ice that made it melt faster.

Who is correct or is their something that neither one of us thought of?

Thanks, guys!

 

[Linctex]

Water (even if frozen) and alcohol mix, alcohol is a common antifreeze. So, yes - the alcohol will melt the ice.

 

[Rand]

alcohol lowers the freezing temperature.. it also lowers the melting temp.

So while the water wouldnt start melting until 32f
the mix could turn into a liquid at 10-20f even.

So theoretically yes it causing it to melt faster.

 

[Colt45ws]

Alcohol has a much lower freezing point, so the mixture of alcohol and water will have a freezing point somewhere between the two, depending on concentration.
I imagine they are using it as an anti bacterial or whatever. Thats actually neat as you wouldnt have to flush and hope you got the traces out like bleach or something.

 

[spackard]

Anyway, breaking in a snow cone machine with vodka, that's a good one.

 

[Ethan1]

It's high school chemistry. Google "colligative properties of solutions" or "freezing point depression equation".

 

[Kestas]

For reference, airplanes are deiced using alcohol.

I'm curious, why would a snow cone machine need break-in? What does the break-in accomplish?

 

[Danh]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
For reference, airplanes are deiced using alcohol.

I'm curious, why would a snow cone machine need break-in? What does the break-in accomplish?


I ethylene glycol or propylene glycol are used for aircraft deicing. Alcohol might work but as it evaporates quickly would provide no protection against additional snow/ice accumulation between gate and runway.

 

[901Memphis]

Alcoholic snow cones? , interesting

 

[slacktide_bitog]

snow cones for adults

 

[Wolf359]

Real alcoholics like their drinks ice cold.

 

[SatinSilver]

Avoid the yellow snow cones.

 

[JHZR2]

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/ethanol-water-d_989.html

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
For reference, airplanes are deiced using alcohol.

I'm curious, why would a snow cone machine need break-in? What does the break-in accomplish?


Gets the factory junk out.

When I buy a coffee maker I make a pot of hot water first.

I clean new dishes in the dishwasher before use. Etc.

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Gets the factory junk out.

When I buy a coffee maker I make a pot of hot water first.

I clean new dishes in the dishwasher before use. Etc.


What about with new clothes, do you wash them first or wear them till they're dirty then throw em in the wash?

 

[Rick in PA]

 

[CR94]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: Kestas
... What does the break-in accomplish?


Gets the factory junk out.

When I buy a coffee maker I make a pot of hot water first. ...
... as instructed by the manufacturer, for good reason. More people would do that if they'd seen the inside of the coffee maker factory. I have.

 

[Superflop]

I think the important question is what kind of vodka are we talking about here

 

[Merkava_4]

Vodka doesn't freeze at all - it can't - it has no water in it.

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Vodka doesn't freeze at all - it can't - it has no water in it.


So what's the other 60% in the bottle?

And yes, you can freeze pure ethanol - at about -114°C.