Bob, an orange grower new to the industry, heard the news that there was a forecast of freezing temperature for the low next morning. He hadn’t picked his oranges yet because it was too early in the season and he was worried that he would lose everything. It seemed that he was doomed. John, a worker of his who was still in high school, came up with a plan. He told Bob that he learnt of a way to protect his crops from freezing. All he needed was access to the watering hose. What did John do?
Answer
John sprayed the oranges with water and kept doing it throughout the night. The first thing that would freeze would be the water on the orange’s surface. When this happens, it releases latent heat that will keep the orange from freezing. Also, the layer of ice would insulate the orange from the atmosphere. The ice would melt as soon as the sun rises and brings the temperatures above freezing. Thus the oranges were saved.