Re: Squeeky Snow

["Steven M. Gollmer" <GOLLMERS@CEDARVILLE.EDU>]

I think that you also need to consider that air temperature is
reported from a weather stations thermometer which is mounted 6 feet
above the ground.  On a cold winter morning without much wind, the
surface air will be much colder than the reported air temperature.

Steve Gollmer
Dept. Science & Mathematics
Cedarville University

> > > Joel Rauber <Joel_Rauber@SDSTATE.EDU> 12/19/00 10:29AM >>>
Yea, I was talking Fahrenheit and wasn't sure if all of your temps
were
quoted in C or not.  Now that you mention it. What I'm calling
squeaky snow,
might more aptly be described as "crunchy" snow, so maybe there are
two
effects going on?  Also, being from Georgia I've never tested the
proposition in stocking feet.  What do you folks drink up there?

Joel Rauber
Joel_Rauber@sdstate.edu

> -----Original Message-----
> From: phys-l@lists.nau.edu: Forum for Physics Educators
> [mailto:PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu]On Behalf Of Doug Craigen
> Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2000 9:18 AM
> To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
> Subject: Re: Squeeky Snow
>
>
> Joel Rauber wrote:
> > Amazing, I was just about to post a similar item, it being -10
> here in SD.
>
> If you mean -10 F, then you are in the -20's C where the people
I've
> asked think the effect starts.
>
> > I've assumed that it is some sort of a phase change in the
> snow, as it seems
> > to be quite pronounced; but I wouldn't stake much on that idea.
My
> This was the sort of thing I was wondering about when my friend
talked
> about it as if it was a distinct effect at around -50 F.  Since
the
> fellow has lived over 50 years in Manitoba (and has thereby
experienced
> down to -40 nearly every winter) it may be that he was talking
about
> something distinct from regular squeeking snow.  Or, it may just be
the
> colder the temperature the louder the squeek so that while most of
us
> don't really notice it, by -50 F it is hard to miss.
>
> > impression is that the temperature is warmer than Doug quotes.
> I'd suggest
> > that just about any negative temperature (Fahrenheit); and
> maybe even in the
> > early single digits can one notice a squeaky snow effect.
>
> A couple more observations:
>
> I think the squeeky boot can be eliminated from the possibilities.
> First, the snow still squeeks when you're just wearing socks, plus
there
> is no squeeking when you slide.  In fact, the greatest squeek is
when
> you walk on your heels.
>
> The sound also depends on the type of snow, not just the
temperature.
> Fluffy snow gives no sound, lightly packed gives a crunching sound
and
> more heavily packed (stepped or driven on a bit) gives the
squeeking
> sound.
>
> \_/^\_/^\_/^\_/^\_/^\_/^\_/^\_/^\_/^\_/^\_/^\_/^\_/^\
>
> Doug Craigen
>           http://www.dctech.com/physics/about_dc.html