Squeaks gave me a wonderful gift—a mini-snowman! Isn’t it amazing? I know snowmen can’t last forever because they eventually melt. But I want to keep mine around for as long as possible!
You probably know that snow melts when it gets warm, and it’s pretty warm inside the fort. So, my snowman won’t last long indoors. Let’s find a cold place outside to keep it. The colder, the better!
Hey Squeaks! Let’s bundle up and explore outside the fort to find a good spot for the snowman. It would be great to find a shady place because shade protects from the sun’s heat. But I don’t see any shady spots here.
However, I do see two flat patches of ground. One of these might work! But which one should I choose? Do you think my snowman might last longer in one place than the other?
Let’s compare the two spots. Both are about the same size and get the same amount of sun during the day. But there’s a big difference between them. Do you see it?
One patch is covered with light-colored rocks, and the other with dark-colored rocks. Let’s see how they feel. Aha! They feel different! The dark patch feels warmer in the sunlight than the light patch.
The temperature of something is how hot it is. We can use a thermometer to measure the temperature in each patch. The dark patch has a higher temperature than the light patch!
These spots have different temperatures because of their colors. The dark patch is warmer because it absorbs more energy from the sun. Absorb means to soak something up, like a sponge soaking up water.
The light patch reflects more of the sun’s energy, meaning it bounces off like a ball bouncing off the floor. So, the light patch stays cooler than the dark patch!
Now that we know the difference, where should we put the snowman? On the dark patch or the light patch?
Right, Squeaks! The light patch feels cooler, and the snowman needs to stay cold to avoid melting. So, the light patch is the better choice!
Knowing that light colors reflect a lot of energy from the sun can solve other problems too. If you’re playing outside on a hot day, wearing light-colored clothes can help you stay cool. They reflect more of the sun’s energy, just like the light-colored rocks.
Dark-colored clothes would absorb more energy, making you feel warmer. So, science helped us save our snowman, at least for a while!
Thanks for the snowman, Squeaks! And thank you for joining us on SciShow Kids! Do you have a question about something? Ask a grownup to help you leave a comment below or send us an email at [email protected]! See you next time at the fort!
Experiment with Colors: Gather some small objects or pieces of paper in different colors (like black, white, and other colors). Place them outside in the sun for an hour. After the time is up, carefully touch each object to see which feels the warmest and which feels the coolest. Discuss why some colors might feel warmer than others. Can you guess which color would be best for keeping a snowman from melting?
Build a Mini Snowman Shelter: Using materials like cardboard, paper, or small boxes, create a shelter for a mini snowman. Think about how you can use light colors to keep the snowman cool. Once your shelter is built, place it outside and see how long your snowman lasts compared to one without a shelter. Talk about what worked well and what you might change next time.
Observe and Reflect: Next time you go outside on a sunny day, pay attention to how different surfaces feel. Is the sidewalk warmer than the grass? Are there any shady spots that feel cooler? Why do you think that is? Share your observations with a friend or family member and discuss how this relates to keeping a snowman from melting.
