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Sodium Acetate

It must be quite surprising for most of us to see the hot gloves and the heating pads retaining the heat for a long period of time without the use of any power supply. But, for those who remember their chemistry classes well, know that it’s the magic of the sodium acetate. Sodium acetate which is also called sodium ethonate is the sodium salt of the acetic acid. The compound of sodium acetate is produced in the industrial quantities. It is not expensive and is used for a large variety of uses. The nature of the compound is exothermic which leads to the generation of heat.

Procedure of making hot ice with sodium acetate

The preparation of hot ice from sodium acetate actually uses the concept used in various hand warmers and the hot packs. The procedure of this preparation hot ice includes the following steps:

Step1: Take a saucepan and fill it with water and keep heating it till it reaches a point which is less than the boiling. Boiling should not be done but water should be heated so as to make it warm.

Step2: Take some sodium acetate monohydrate and dissolve them into the water which is heated into the pan. Stir the mixture properly so that sodium hydrate gets dissolved properly. The proper dissolving will result in the denser crystals when ice is formed. Keep adding the sodium acetate till there is accumulation at the bottom of the pan. Step 3:

Pour the solution in the any container or glass. Do not pour the undissolved part of sodium acetate. Now let this solution get cool by placing it in the refrigerator. It will take around 30 to 50 minutes for the solution to get cool.

Step4: If there were no solid crystals in the solution it will appear in the liquid form after it is cooled. Take the container in which you wish to make the hot ice. It can be tray, a mould or anything else. Pour the cooled solution in that container.

Step5: Now, just tap your finger over the liquid solution and you will see that crystals start forming from the point where you have tapped and spreads all over the solution. Within few seconds the entire liquid is converted in the crystalline form which is hot. Thus this solid crystalline form which is made from sodium acetate is your hot ice.
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