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Jersey of many colours When I look at an electric light bulb through the fabric of my maroon, acrylic school jumper, why does it seem to have a rainbow halo around it?Thomas O'Hare (aged 6), London, UK
(no votes) There are 6 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by Anonymous
on 2009-05-22 15:42:23

(no votes)

The previous answers regarding the weave acting as a diffraction grating are correct.The age of the questioner makes no difference to the scientific reason behind the effect. It's diffraction whether you're aet 6 or aet 60!

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-05-13 17:00:01

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none

Categories: Domestic Science.

Tags: human body, unanswered, domestic science.

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Apple melt The snow at the base of our small apple trees melts before snow elsewhere has melted. We've seen this under other trees too. Why? Robert Campbell, Uetendorf, Switzerland (Image: Mattox, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (1 vote) average rating:4 There are 31 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by Ihor Jaroslaw Sypko, Archaeologist
on 2009-05-06 19:44:00

(no votes)

I would surmise that the sun warming the tree trunk and thus the shallow roots and the soil matrix is causing the localized melt. In contrast I have found remnant snow in shadow and beneath conifers as late as Easter in NJ.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-05-06 17:02:00

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Last edited on: 2009-08-05 14:15:35

Categories: Weather , Plants, Unanswered.

Tags: unanswered, plants, weather, humanbody, domesticscience.

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Apple melt The snow at the base of our small apple trees melts before snow elsewhere has melted. We've seen this under other trees too. Why? Robert Campbell, Uetendorf, Switzerland (Image: Mattox, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (1 vote) average rating:4 There are 31 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by Scott Lacy Salley
on 2009-05-06 20:09:00

(no votes)

1. The snow is often thinner / less packed under trees.2. Trees are living organisms and give off heat, as do the organisms (bacteria, fungus, insects) that tend to huddle around the root system.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-05-06 17:02:00

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Last edited on: 2009-08-05 14:15:35

Categories: Weather , Plants, Unanswered.

Tags: unanswered, plants, weather, humanbody, domesticscience.

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Apple melt The snow at the base of our small apple trees melts before snow elsewhere has melted. We've seen this under other trees too. Why? Robert Campbell, Uetendorf, Switzerland (Image: Mattox, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (1 vote) average rating:4 There are 31 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by DAWN
on 2009-05-06 20:23:00

(no votes)

I've noticed that since I was a girlI always suspected that because the tree trunks are of a darker colour, they absorb more heat from the sun and as a result radiate some of this heat which would melt snow very near to the trunk

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-05-06 17:02:00

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Last edited on: 2009-08-05 14:15:35

Categories: Weather , Plants, Unanswered.

Tags: unanswered, plants, weather, humanbody, domesticscience.

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Apple melt The snow at the base of our small apple trees melts before snow elsewhere has melted. We've seen this under other trees too. Why? Robert Campbell, Uetendorf, Switzerland (Image: Mattox, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (1 vote) average rating:4 There are 31 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by pressthebigredbutton
on 2009-05-06 20:58:00

(no votes)

Another factor may be that meltwater from snow on the branches of the tree will trickle down the trunk, melting snow around the base when it comes in contact.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-05-06 17:02:00

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Last edited on: 2009-08-05 14:15:35

Categories: Weather , Plants, Unanswered.

Tags: unanswered, plants, weather, humanbody, domesticscience.

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Apple melt The snow at the base of our small apple trees melts before snow elsewhere has melted. We've seen this under other trees too. Why? Robert Campbell, Uetendorf, Switzerland (Image: Mattox, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (1 vote) average rating:4 There are 31 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by Lotus Fire
on 2009-05-06 22:49:00

(no votes)

I think that it is because the roots are nearest the surface beside the trunk, and it has to do with heat given off during root metabolism.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-05-06 17:02:00

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Last edited on: 2009-08-05 14:15:35

Categories: Weather , Plants, Unanswered.

Tags: unanswered, plants, weather, humanbody, domesticscience.

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Apple melt The snow at the base of our small apple trees melts before snow elsewhere has melted. We've seen this under other trees too. Why? Robert Campbell, Uetendorf, Switzerland (Image: Mattox, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (1 vote) average rating:4 There are 31 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by Himadri Samanta
on 2009-05-07 02:08:00

(no votes)

This probably happens for the similar reason as a dark colored small object (a leaf or a twig) sinks into the snow. The object gets warmer and melts the snow. Here, the warmer tree trunk radiates heat melting the nearby snow.The other concept to consider is that the snow in the open (that is not under the tree)is colder as it can radiate heat to the outer space that is much colder than the snow. But if the radiation is obstructed by the tree, it cannot radiate as much - probably it will gain some heat from the tree, if the tree is warmer. This explains why there is less frost on the side than the on top of a wooden post, or usually there is no frost under a tree.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-05-06 17:02:00

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Last edited on: 2009-08-05 14:15:35

Categories: Weather , Plants, Unanswered.

Tags: unanswered, plants, weather, humanbody, domesticscience.

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Apple melt The snow at the base of our small apple trees melts before snow elsewhere has melted. We've seen this under other trees too. Why? Robert Campbell, Uetendorf, Switzerland (Image: Mattox, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (1 vote) average rating:4 There are 31 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by Anonymous
on 2009-05-07 07:56:00

(no votes)

Although snow is white, this only means, it reflects equally well visible light of all visible wavelengths. This means, visible light is not absorbed by snow. But snow absorbs infrared light quite well and when visible light hits the tree trunk it gets absorbed and is turned to heat. This heated tree trunk then emits thermal infrared radiation which is absorbed by the snow and melts it down.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-05-06 17:02:00

Member status
none

Last edited on: 2009-08-05 14:15:35

Categories: Weather , Plants, Unanswered.

Tags: unanswered, plants, weather, humanbody, domesticscience.

Report abuse

Apple melt The snow at the base of our small apple trees melts before snow elsewhere has melted. We've seen this under other trees too. Why? Robert Campbell, Uetendorf, Switzerland (Image: Mattox, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (1 vote) average rating:4 There are 31 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by Anonymous
on 2009-05-07 11:27:00

(no votes)

Like said above. Trees are living entities that would die in a frozen environment. So a tree has to keep an above ambient temperature. Trees also suck up a certain amount of moisture from the ground into their leaves(probably slowed down a lot in winter periods) This could break up the forming snow below a tree.Trees also take up a lot of snow on their leaves creating a thinner amount of snow beneath them.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-05-06 17:02:00

Member status
none

Last edited on: 2009-08-05 14:15:35

Categories: Weather , Plants, Unanswered.

Tags: unanswered, plants, weather, humanbody, domesticscience.

Report abuse

Apple melt The snow at the base of our small apple trees melts before snow elsewhere has melted. We've seen this under other trees too. Why? Robert Campbell, Uetendorf, Switzerland (Image: Mattox, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (1 vote) average rating:4 There are 31 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by Anonymous
on 2009-05-07 16:46:00

(no votes)

Everyone missed the most obvious.Hint:appleTrees especially fruit (apple) trees and deciduous ones drop their leaves and fruit, this creates a compost layer around the tree, composting organic material gives off heat. I have a garden where I compost my vegetable waste and snow melted there sooner as well

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