Quiz: Is It Getting Hot in Here?
Your double-scoop cone of Howling Cow ice cream will start to drip when it gets above what temperature?
31 degrees F. The milk and salt in ice cream lower the melting point slightly from the standard 32 degrees for water.
“It’s so hot on the Brickyard that we could fry an egg,” your roommate says. How hot would the surface of the bricks have to be for breakfast to be served?
158 degrees F. An egg needs to be fried on a surface that’s around 158 degrees F before it can become firm. Brick retains heat and is always warmer than the air temperature on a hot day, but even the hottest days on campus are unlikely to reach the temperatures required for frying.
This year, our statistics and atmospheric sciences researchers have predicted that we’ll see a “normal” Atlantic hurricane season, with 11-15 tropical storms and hurricanes. What is the minimum ideal sea surface temperature for hurricanes to form?
About 80 degrees F. Warm ocean waters provide the energy a storm needs to become a hurricane.
What is the hottest outdoor air temperature ever recorded on campus?
107 degrees F. According to the State Climate Office of North Carolina, which keeps data back to 1892, the record high temperature recorded at its station on the NC State campus was 107 degrees on July 29, 2011.
We know it’s hot out there, but how high would the mercury have to rise for the Belltower to start melting into a granite puddle?
Around 2,300 degrees F. The melting point of granite is extremely high, so don’t expect the Belltower to liquefy anytime soon (even in the Raleigh heat)!
0-1: Feeling the Heat
The heat probably slowed you down. Brush up on your temperature trivia and try again!
2-3: Lukewarm
You know something about warm temperatures, but some of the questions made you sweat.
4-5: Hotshot
You know enough about temperature to beat the heat. You’ve earned yourself a cold drink and some time indoors to enjoy the air conditioning!
Since it's too hot to go outside, explore some related research and resources:
State Climate Office of North Carolina
2017 NC State Hurricane Season Forecast
The Memorial Belltower
Howling Cow Ice Cream
