A Calorimetric Method for Measuring Water Content of Hailstones

Abstract

A calorimetric method for measuring the liquid water content of hailstones has been developed. When parameters such as the radiative losses of the system and the changes in heat capacity of the apparatus are eliminated by performing all measurements under identical conditions, the temperature drop is linearly related to the mass of ice melted. For equal masses the temperature drop is smaller if water is present, and there is a linear relationship between the changes in temperature drop and the amount of water present. The water content of hailstones can then be determined from a calibration plot of the changes in temperature drop as a function of the water content of ice.