[scurbies]

why and how does "magic shell" turn from a liquid to a solid when poured on ice cream? i am doing a chemistry project on this question and have searched everywhere for an answer. i have even tryed to contact "smuckers" the company that makes this product. i would appreciate it if you could help me.

[Mitch]

I'm unfamiliar with the product.

[scurbies]

i also have another inquiry. i dont know if you've ever tried this or would know how this happens, but if you take chocolate chips and melt them in the microwave they melt into a liquid, like a hot chocolate syrup. If you pour the hot melted chocolate chips on ice cream in about 30 seconds the liquid is a solid. How does that happen?

[Mitch]

It solidifies because the ice cream's temperature is below the melting point of the chocolate.

[mithrilhack]

I've seen this product, I think it's a special blend of chocolate that has a lower melting point than normal chocolate which is why it's liquid when you pour it out.

[jdurg]

You mean a higher melting point.

No I think he's correct.  If normal chocolate is a solid at room temperature, then for this chocolate to be a liquid at room temperature it would have to have a lower melting point.  The cold of the ice-cream puts it at the lower melting point which allows it to solidify.

[Mitch]

 

[jdurg]

lol.  Nice try with the edit.  

[dexangeles]

The cold of the ice-cream puts it at the lower melting point which allows it to solidify.

do you mean the ice cream puts it at a lower temperature?

[Mitch]

...the ice-cream puts it at the lower melting point...

Can ice cream really change the melting point of substances? Ice cream really is a modern marvel.

[jdurg]

Here's where semantics of the English language can make things more confusing than they should be.    I had previously said that the magic shell stuff was chocolate with a lower melting point.  So when mentioning how you pour the chocolate over the ice cream and it puts it at the lower melting point, it was insinuating that the temperature of the chocolate would be at that of the lower melting point chocolate as opposed to the higher melting point chocolate.    So I guess I just used a mentally challenged way of saying 'lowered the temperature'.  

[Iluvhemistry]

because it is cold. thats why its called ICE cream.

[billnotgatez]

Is there a need to discuss the latent heat of freezing (whatever) as a factor?

[billnotgatez]

Mostly a Quote from Wikipedia

In a general sense, the second law of thermodynamics says that the differences between systems in contact with each other tend to even out. Pressure differences, density differences, and particularly temperature differences, all tend to equalize if given the opportunity. This means that an isolated system will eventually come to have a uniform temperature.