A 'Hot Ice' that Warms You!

You have seen solid ice flakes melt into liquid water; but have you ever seen a liquid turn into solid within seconds? (You shall have to keep water in refrigerator for about three hours to get the solid ice cubes!) Moreover have you seen the so formed solid to become hot, hotter and the hottest in the process? Yes, the matter I refer to here is the Hot ice !

This ‘ice’ is actually the chemical, Sodium acetate in its trihydrate form. This chemical is used in the heating pads (pain reliever) or hand warmers. A heating pad contains the Sodium acetate dissolved in water.

When we need heat we shall have to just click the metal disc placed inside the pad. It switches on the process: the entire transparent liquid turns into white solid within seconds moving like a mist – emitting heat also for us!

This Sodium acetate has also other uses such as flavoring chips and preserving food. This is the wonder chemical having the wonder phenomenon that I have presented here for this week.