science fair type question

[Hannah+Vito 0]

Been wedding planning Yey but have come across a problem and i'm hoping theres someone out there sciency enough to have an answer. cos Vito and I cant think of it.

http://www.perpetualkid.com/index.asp?Page...amp;ProdID=3021

What could i use if i wanted to make ice cubes that never melt. so they look like ice cubes, float like ice cubes but dont melt, and i want to use the moulds in the link above. oh and would be floating in water with possibly food colouring in if we cant colour the cubes.

cheers Hannah :thumbs:

[star_dragon 0]

Does it have to be safe for consumption? or just for decorative purposes (like table centerpieces)?

[Hannah+Vito 0]

Does it have to be safe for consumption? or just for decorative purposes (like table centerpieces)?

table center peices is indeed what i want them for. :thumbs: but would be nice to be able to use the mould properly again as they are quite expensive. but i'm up for any ideas.

If all else fails heston bluminthal will be getting an email.

Edited October 30, 2008 by Hannah+Vito

[star_dragon 0]

You can find a liquid resin like this in craft stores! not sure if you're looking to get this here or the UK, but if here, this is from the Michaels website - they're a huge craft store chain:

http://www.michaels.com/art/online/display...oductNum=gc0509

[HAL 9000 96]

Reusable ice cubes are sealed for a reason... (safety)

If consumption is not the point then there are suitable alternatives to water ice as long as you had a chamber that pressurizes its contents enough to keep whatever frozen substance frozen independent of the actual temperature inside the chamber. As a scientific concept you can consult with the ideal gas law (PV=nRT).

[msu17 0]

I agree with liquid resin stuff. MY dad uses it to make fake water for his train layout For more ideas, just go to a hobby store and find someone that knows about modeling.

[NickD 203]

Been wedding planning Yey but have come across a problem and i'm hoping theres someone out there sciency enough to have an answer. cos Vito and I cant think of it.

http://www.perpetualkid.com/index.asp?Page...amp;ProdID=3021

What could i use if i wanted to make ice cubes that never melt. so they look like ice cubes, float like ice cubes but dont melt, and i want to use the moulds in the link above. oh and would be floating in water with possibly food colouring in if we cant colour the cubes.

cheers Hannah :thumbs:

Have your wedding in Wisconsin at Christmas time, outdoors.

[Hannah+Vito 0]

You can find a liquid resin like this in craft stores! not sure if you're looking to get this here or the UK, but if here, this is from the Michaels website - they're a huge craft store chain:

http://www.michaels.com/art/online/display...oductNum=gc0509

cheers good idea i posted it to vito to look at :thumbs:

Reusable ice cubes are sealed for a reason... (safety)

If consumption is not the point then there are suitable alternatives to water ice as long as you had a chamber that pressurizes its contents enough to keep whatever frozen substance frozen independent of the actual temperature inside the chamber. As a scientific concept you can consult with the ideal gas law (PV=nRT).

consumption is not the point ,table center peices that look like the ice cubes in the link i posted and dont disapear thats all i wanted. but thanks for your imput.

I agree with liquid resin stuff. MY dad uses it to make fake water for his train layout For more ideas, just go to a hobby store and find someone that knows about modeling.

does liquid resin float? does anyone know? also i presume once i've used this resin in the moulds i will never be able to use the moulds for their original purpose again?

[Hannah+Vito 0]

what about jello? does that last it shape long? perhaps the water would make it melt?

[star_dragon 0]

Been wedding planning Yey but have come across a problem and i'm hoping theres someone out there sciency enough to have an answer. cos Vito and I cant think of it.

http://www.perpetualkid.com/index.asp?Page...amp;ProdID=3021

What could i use if i wanted to make ice cubes that never melt. so they look like ice cubes, float like ice cubes but dont melt, and i want to use the moulds in the link above. oh and would be floating in water with possibly food colouring in if we cant colour the cubes.

cheers Hannah :thumbs:

Have your wedding in Wisconsin at Christmas time, outdoors.

I think the liquid resin floats..if I'm not mistaken, it's not that heavy. I used to be surrounded by Star Wars prop geeks, so I was around that stuff all the time

[catknit 144]

Jello would in fact melt. It needs to stay refridgerated to keeps it's shape and consistency. If you wanted to go with an edible type thing the only item that comes to mind in agar [sometimes called agar-agar]. You can find it in natural food stores as a gelatin replacement. I'd guess if you make something with enough of the agar it will keep its shape for a while in water. But, keep in mind, anything water soluble over time will dissolve [for lack of a better term] and most of the proteins and or complex polysaccharides in the edible stuff out there are water soluble - you can always just experiment too. Make a test run with the agar and see if it holds for 5-8 hours in room temp water. Agar doesn't need to be chilled to set, unlike gelatin.

ETA: edible note to water soluble stuff - obviously there are non-water soluble proteins or we would all be mush

Edited October 30, 2008 by milo75

[Niels Bohr 72]

There a several materials that a non-science person can use to make a cube that has physical properties that are not intrinsic. You may use any material is less dense than water. Just try several stuff. If it's lighter than water of the same displacement (Archimedes's Principle), then you can have it float on water.

Water is different compared to other molecules and/or compound. This is the way it expands at freezing point versus cellulose, concrete, etc...will expand when it is hot. Quite the opposite. In other words, when the substance becomes a solid at room temperature, then that means it has become much denser. This implies that it is smaller, and heavier at the same displacement.

[Hannah+Vito 0]

Jello would in fact melt. It needs to stay refridgerated to keeps it's shape and consistency. If you wanted to go with an edible type thing the only item that comes to mind in agar [sometimes called agar-agar]. You can find it in natural food stores as a gelatin replacement. I'd guess if you make something with enough of the agar it will keep its shape for a while in water. But, keep in mind, anything water soluble over time will dissolve [for lack of a better term] and most of the proteins and or complex polysaccharides in the edible stuff out there are water soluble - you can always just experiment too. Make a test run with the agar and see if it holds for 5-8 hours in room temp water. Agar doesn't need to be chilled to set, unlike gelatin.

ETA: edible note to water soluble stuff - obviously there are non-water soluble proteins or we would all be mush

thanks for the agar tip. :thumbs: will keep it in mind.

does anyone else have any suggestions of what material/compound we could use?

[Niels Bohr 72]

Plastic...You can mold plastic into ice-cubes. Have 6 planar squares, and screw it up on the sides. Make sure there are no holes. Vola! You have yourself a box!

[ronjie 0]

MAYBE ROCK CANDY. not sure, just a guess !!