Ice Melting Blocks

Item #P6-7060

$25.00 Bundle Discount

Unit Price	$25.00
6+	$23.00
50+	$17.40

Compare thermal conductivity with a counterintuitive demo

Turn thermal conductivity into a memorable “wait…what?” moment. The Ice Melting Blocks include two similar-looking black blocks—one aluminum and one high-density foam—students first feel that one block seems colder. Then they place an ice cube on each and watch the surprising result: the cube on the “colder” block melts much faster, kicking off rich discussion about heat transfer and energy flow.

This quick counterintuitive event introduces many topics such as heat transfer, change of state, and thermal conductivity and needs almost no prep. While easy to use, it opens the door to deeper reasoning about why materials that start at the same temperature can feel different and melt ice at very different rates.

Why Teachers Love the Ice Melting Blocks

Instant counterintuitive event: A fast, high-impact demo that hooks students and sparks genuine curiosity.
Makes heat transfer visible: The melt-rate contrast clearly illustrates thermal conductivity without math up front.
Simple, durable, reusable: Just add ice; the sturdy 4" square blocks and storage rings hold up to years of use.

Resources

Ice Melting Blocks Instructional Guide

Common Experiments

Thermal conductivity comparison: Time ice-melt on aluminum vs. foam and connect results to particle-level heat transfer.
“Feels colder” vs. “is colder”: Use touch + thermometer to separate sensation from actual temperature.
Energy flow & equilibrium: Discuss why heat moves from hand → block and block → ice until temperatures equalize.
Conduction vs insulation: Use a laser thermometer and liquid crystal sheets to further define a conductor vs insulator.
Surface area / contact effects (extension): Repeat with different ice sizes or contact conditions to explore variables in heat transfer.