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Why does stamping your feet clean the snow off of them?

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Stamping your feet breaks the adhesion between partially melted snow and your shoes, causing it to fall off. A freeze-thaw cycle on mountain slopes maintains snowpack despite above-freezing daytime temperatures.

Step-by-step explanation:

Stamping your feet helps to clean the snow off because it causes a sudden force that breaks the adhesion between the snow and your shoes. The snow sticking to your shoes isn't completely frozen; rather, it's often partially melted due to the warmth coming off your body. When you stamp your feet, you apply a sudden force that overcomes the adhesion and friction holding the wet, partially melted snow in place. This allows the snow to break loose and fall off, effectively cleaning your shoes.

Similarly, snow can remain on mountain slopes even at temperatures above the freezing point because of a balance between melting during the day and refreezing at night. This process, known as the freeze-thaw cycle, helps to maintain snowpack on mountainsides as it compacts and re-solidifies the snow each night.

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