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Learn to magically lift an ice cube from water using a string!


Things Required

  • Glass of water

  • Ice cube

  • String

  • Salt

Directions

  1. Place an ice cube on the surface of a glass full of water.

  2. Place a string (or thread) on the cube of ice such that the centre of the string is on the ice and the edges are outside the glass of water.

  3. Sprinkle some salt on the part of the ice cube with the string and then wait for a few minutes.

  4. As the string is gently pulled up, the ice cube is lifted above the water, with the string.

How does it work?


Salt lowers the melting point of water. So, in the glass of water, the ice started to melt and simultaneously started to refreeze. This caused the ice cube to melt around the string and freeze around it, trapping the string inside. This allowed the ice cube to be pulled along with the string.

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