Wgu C451

Integrated Natural Science Applications Task 3

At What Point Does Antifreeze Start Freezing?

Project Design Plans

The use of ethylene glycol is a common ingredient used in antifreeze. It is commonly proposed that you do a mixture of 50/50 (water and antifreeze) to properly run your vehicle. While increasing the amount of antifreeze increases the freeze point protection down to -72 degrees F (in a 70/30 mix), that same mixture could cause overheating in warmer weather. (Antifreeze Ratio, n.d.)

Problem statement: If someone was to do a 50/50 mixture, then it is a properly mixed according to the manufacture’s recommendations. Increasing the amount of antifreeze has shown to causing the freezing point to drop, but if left at that mixture, will cause overheating damage to your radiator and/or motor. What happens when various mixtures of water and antifreeze are put in a freezing situation? At what point (of a lack of antifreeze) will cause a freezing issue for your vehicle.

Literature Review

The entire point of antifreeze in your vehicle, is to provide a cooling effect for your radiator to keep your engine from overheating. It is common for people to think that if they have antifreeze in their vehicles, that during various times of the year, when temperatures rise and lower, that they be protected from heating and cooling. Part of the myth is they can add water and/or coolant to the mixture to raise it to the proper operations level if ever in a spot that they don’t have antifreeze and/ or coolant available. “If you were to only use coolant in a cold climate, the possibility of it freezing is very possible.” Also, it has been determined that if you can get a mixture of pure antifreeze to 8 degrees Fahrenheit (liquid temperature, not air temperature) then it will freeze. (Hella, 2011)

The risk involved with not knowing the amount of water to antifreeze ratio in your vehicle affects the liquids freezing and boiling point. While it is common for you to put a...