Why don't igloos melt on the inside?

Answer 1

They do melt if you use them improperly. An igloo is used to protect from the wind, precipitation, animals, and EXTREME cold. Used properly, the interior will not get above the freeing point. If a fire will be lit inside for warmth or cooking, a roof vent will be opened in the very top, not just to let the smoke out but also to keep the heat from building up. They may not be warm enough to sit around in shorts and watch t.v. all night, but just below freezing is still a heck of a lot warmer than gale force winds full of snow at 60 below .

Answer 2

I would think it has to do with the idea that stuff melts from the outside in, so the outside must melt first. Kind of like when you heat something in the microwave the outside gets hot first then the inside. Also we know that for ice to melt the temp must be slightly warmer than freezine and since the outside, temperatures may are as low as -45 °C (-49 °F) and -7 °C (19 °F) to 16 °C (61 °F) on the inside the temperature alone is not warm enough to melt the igloo.

Answer 3

Great question! I'm guessing the heat from people or alternative heat sources (the dome-shape would trap heat) actually melts and refreezes enough to create an ice-barrier on the inside. Kind of like the ice build-up on my gutters during the thaw-refreeze-thaw thing this winter :(

Answer 4

Maybe... snow builds up on the outside as the ice melts on the inside - so you get a kinda expanding house effect.... except I guess it would be kinda wet inside. And there'd be several minor impracticalities like not being able to hang anything on the walls, and having to shove the sofa back three inches every day. And then everyone would see the dirty magazines you shoved under there...
Maybe not such a practical theory after all.

Answer 5

If there is no heat source on the inside then it won't melt from the inside.

Answer 6

But they do, when something warm (like a person) is inside.