[M.D. Holloway]

Agree, the small scale will be difficult for key drop determination - that is used more for a rate determination for the shape. A block could most likely be substituted that is in the same general shape I suppose. What would be the tough thing is the ambiant temp fluctuation. Water quality and even the way in which the water was frozen to make the ice. I know that freeze rate and storage temp do play an influance on the ice clearity which would suggest that the formation of the ice chrystals are in fact different at different process conditions. Of course if this was a material like glass, matel some plastics it would have have an influence on the behaviour of the material - water is really a strange substance. Not many things actually expend when they freeze, water will do that.

You got me thinking now. I know that there is enough data on the kinetics of water to model this but the thing that does make it so friggin random is the ambiant temp flucuation and also the fact thatthey want it in seconds! You would have to know the exact temp of the freezer where the block was kept, if it was sculpted in the freezer, what the temps were on route to the park and then what the temps were going to be in order to calculate the thaw rate.

Its doable but there are a bunch of dependent variables that have to understood prior. I would think that a physical chemistry class has done this sort of work. If not, it would be an interesting class exercise on thermodynamics.

Cool...