Ice

[umyourmom]

Does ice melt faster inside or outside, in a container (plastic) or on a plate?

[kempie]

The rate of melting should be the same but the non-enclosed ice will also undergo more evaporation than the ice in the container, the net effect would appear as a faster melt for the exposed ice.

[jake-the-peg]

Hmm wouldn't more evaporation cool the remaining ice giving you a slower melt?

More to the point if the ice is in a plastic container especially a transparent one like a bottle you'd get a greenhouse effect where lncoming light is absorbed and re-radiated as heat which then can't escape giving you warmer conditions and a faster melt.

Tell you what why don't you try it and tell us? 

[kempie]

I was basing my answer on the ambient temperature being the same in both cases.

With evaporation water vapour is lost from the ice to the atmosphere around it. If the air is enclosed a dynamic equilibrium is established and no further evaporation will occur; whereas if the air is free to move around the evaporation will continue for longer i.e. more ice will 'disappear' into the air and therefore it will shrink faster.

[jake-the-peg]

Yes without seeing the actual homework question it's hard to know :c)

[Nenny]

plate