/oss/taxonomy/term/5046/all en /oss/article/you-asked/there-difference-between-real-snow-and-artificial-snow <p>Snow-making machines actually make tiny beads of ice, each one about one ten-thousandth of an inch in diameter. Water is sprayed from a hose together with compressed air. The air is needed because as it quickly expands, its temperature drops since it has to do work by pushing away air molecules. This cooling helps freeze the water. As the water freezes, it releases heat. This should be obvious when we realize that in order to melt ice, we have to add heat. The heat released is then taken up by the expanding compressed air. This is why the "snow-making" pipes are always high in the air. If t</p> Thu, 17 Feb 2022 15:29:52 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9027 at /oss /oss/article/technology-general-science/let-it-fake-snow <p>Have you ever wondered how ski hill operators make snow? Actually, they don't make snow, they make tiny beads of ice, each one about one ten-thousandth of an inch in diameter. It all starts with spraying water from a hose together with compressed air. The air is needed because as it quickly expands, its temperature drops. This is known as the Joule-Thomson effect named after James Prescott Joule and William Thomson, who is better known as Lord Kelvin, having been knighted by Queen Victoria.</p> Fri, 01 Jan 2021 17:00:00 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8531 at /oss