At Mathnasium of Friendswood, we like to have fun with math! One of the best ways to appreciate math is to see it in the world around us. With winter here, we rarely see weather cold enough for stereotypical winter weather, but we think it’s pretty “cool” to think about the significant role math plays in forming the icy structures found in nature. Here are some fun math facts about the hallmarks of winter:
An icicle's general shape is a cone – it goes from wide at the top to narrow at the bottom. Martin Short, a physicist from the University of Arizona, claims that the reason for the cone shape is because when water freezes on the surface of an icicle, it releases heat, which rises and prevents ice from continuing to form toward the top of the icicle. Since the tip is the coldest part of the icicle, the ice continues to form there, making it longer and longer.
The shape of an icicle is unlikely to be perfect, and several factors affect it. The temperature of the air surrounding an icicle influences where more ice will collect. For example, an icicle in the sun will have more ice formation where it is cooler, away from the sun. Also, wind speed and direction will influence how an icicle forms.
The ideal conditions for icicles formation include cold (below zero temperatures) but sunny days. The heat from the sun melts ice/snow into liquid water even in freezing temperatures, and it drips downward. Once the freezing temperatures cause the dripping water to lose enough heat, it refreezes, and the icicle forms. An icicle starts with one or two droplets of freezing water, and it builds as water runs over the frozen part of the icicle. The water continues to drip and freeze, extending the length of the icicle.
When the conditions are just right, an icicle can lengthen quickly! Scientists say that an icicle can grow more than a centimeter a minute.
One of the biggest icicles ever seen is an icicle in Northwest China. The icicle is almost 100 feet tall and 50 feet wide. The record-setting icicle is the result of snow melting off a cliff over time!
Mathematicians have proven that as ice melts, it keeps its smooth surface. Ice will never melt into a jagged shape full of sharp edges jutting out multiple directions because of boundary considerations between the ice and the water. The transfer of heat is such that the ice melts along a smooth boundary, and even when a sharp point forms (called a singularity), that point melts quickly as the edges of the ice become smooth again.
Icicles can be dangerous when they fall to the ground! One statistic says that 15 Americans on average are killed by falling icicles! Apparently, the number in Russia is even higher: 100 annually. Even Texas has seen icicle-related injury! In 2011, falling ice injured seven people outside Cowboys stadium.
Snowflakes are composed of ice crystals, and ice crystals form with a hexagonal structure. That is why snowflakes typically follow six-sided patterns!
Our team at Mathnasium of Friendswood uses fun facts and engaging tools to make sure that math can capture your math student’s interests. If you think your child needs a changed perspective on math, contact us today about our programs! We make math fun and easy to relate to the real world.
