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Brainstorm- Water Questions
01/03/2003
Listen in RealAudio 
Hi, I'm Bryan Yeaton for The Weather Notebook. Yesterday, we answered our Brainstorm about
Walkin' in the Rain. Today, we have another question about water, and some of its various
properties.
At ski areas-especially in the East-when Mother Nature doesn't send enough natural snow we are
able to produce our own, if temperatures are cold enough. An inert bacteria is added to water,
which is then sprayed up into the air. And that actually is part of the puzzle. Why do they
spray it so high into the air? Here's a hint-it's not just for dispersal. In fact, much of the
manufactured snow can get lost into the woods.
And here's an extra credit question, dealing with the viscosity of water at different
temperatures: Will a marble (or a rock), sink faster through pure water-nothing else added-at
25 degrees Fahrenheit, or at 75 degrees Fahrenheit?
Again, here's what we want to know: why do they have to shoot the snow guns so high into the
air, and does a solid object descend through water faster at 25 or 75 degrees
Fahrenheit.
Folks who come up with the right answer will get a prize, and if we use your answer on the
air, you'll get a magical mug, worthy of Gandalf the Wizard. Good Luck!
If you think you know a lot about water, get in touch! There are several ways to do so. First,
you can e-mail us at questions@weathernotebook.org. Or you can call (888) RAIN-001. That's
(888) 724-6001. If you need to hear the question again, you can go to the Brainstorm section
of our website, www.weathernotebook.org.
The Weather Notebook is produced at The Mount Washington Observatory, with support from Subaru
of America, and The National Science Foundation.
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