How long would you survive if you fell overboard into ice cold water? What would happen to your body and mind? What would happen to your reaction time and ability to carry out a simple task efficiently?
We completed an experiment to answer these questions above. We completed simple tasks such as writing our name, building a tower using multi link cubes, putting pegs into a pegboard and screwing together nuts and bolts when our hands were at normal room temperature. We then submerged our hands in ice cold water for 1 minute and repeated each task above. We discussed what was happening to our hands and mind as the experiment progressed and we were surprised by the results.
At first our reaction times were quicker as our bodies were shocked into something strange happening. We discussed ‘fight or flight’ and how our mind was telling us something was happening and we had to protect ourselves. Then our reaction times began to decrease as our hands got colder. They became red, sore and numb meaning our range of movement and flexibility wasn’t as good. In the end the cold conditions were unbearable for our hands and many groups had to distract themselves by singing or humming until it was time to dry them off and begin their task.
Moral of the story try not to fall overboard into icy water conditions as it isn’t a very comfortable position to be in!
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