Looking for answers to the question of which snow melts faster: clean or dirty

Many people are interested in the question of which snow melts faster: clean or dirty? By the way, there are at least three correct answers to it.

What is snow?

To find the answer to the question of which snow melts faster: clean or dirty, you need to understand what the subject itself is.

Considering snowflakes, everyone can notice that they consist of small ice needles that adhere to each other in some geometrically correct design. Why this happens is a completely different matter. Now it is important to understand that the snow in its chemical composition is water in a solid (frozen) state.

What is the melting point of ice and snow?

There is also a second important factor that is needed when looking for an answer to the question of which snow melts faster: clean or dirty. This is the melting point of ice and snow.

It is known that water from its solid state to liquid passes at 0 degrees Celsius. It was this point that was taken for reference when composing the degree scale, which we all use in practical life. That is, there is no surprising coincidence that the ice melts at 0 degrees. It was easy for scientists to take this temperature for the basic starting point. Just like 100 degrees Celsius is nothing but a boiling point (the transition from liquid to gaseous) of the same water. In other words, at this moment, the formation of steam. In general, this is understandable. After all, water on Earth is the very substance that we can easily observe in all three states.

This is steam coming from the spout of the kettle, that is, gas. This is directly water, that is, liquid. This is snow with ice, that is, a solid substance.

Which snow melts faster: clean or dirty?

In this case, two more factors are important. First, where the snow is - in a room that is isolated from sunlight, or in open terrain. Secondly, what do you mean by "dirty".

If we assume that the snow is dirty with earth, sand or other solid substances that can not be dissolved in water, there will be one answer to the question of which snow melts faster: clean or dirty. But if we talk about a mixture of snow with soluble substances, for example, salts, then the answer will be different. This is due to the fact that the salt solutions have a lower freezing point.

That is, snow with an admixture of salt at 0 degrees begins to melt, because at the point of contact there is a mixing of substances - water and salt. A brine solution can be in a solid state at a temperature slightly lower than 0 degrees.

Now everyone understands why ice on roads in winter is sprinkled with salt? So that it melted and lost its hardness and, as a consequence, slipperiness.

Dirty and clean snow in the room

But let's say, we are not talking about sprinkled with snow, but about the one on which coal or earth was poured. How will this fact affect the rate of its melting?

If we talk from the point of view of the melting point, then in any way. Snow brought from the street into the room clean and dirty will turn into water at the same time. Since the transition temperature of both of the solid state into the liquid state is the same.

Melting clean and dirty snow on the street

But then the question arises: "Why in the spring does snow, which prevents pedestrians, are sprinkled with sand and earth, and why does dirty snow melt faster than pure snow?"

The answer is simple: this is because the white color repels the sun's rays, and the dark one attracts. Consequently, dirty snow heats up faster than white, clean.

It turns out that even janitors need to know at least some of the basics of physics and chemistry in order to do their job well. After all, no other than a competent snow cleaner has come up with sprinkling ice tracks with salt and sand, so that it's easier and faster to bring your site to proper order.