Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

For what purpose would a scientist need to now how fast styrofoam melts in acetone?

Hello shade515,

I suppose a scientist might need to know this for several reasons. Just to propose a few:

• He has been hired as an "expert witness" in a legal proceeding and the answer is important for the outcome.
  Acetone contacts styrofoam in an experiment he is doing, and he needs to know that it will take long enough to allow some other event to occur.
  He is studying ways to remove styrofoam from other waste materials and is considering using acetone to dissolve it.

I have no idea why you ask this question, so I'm just tossing out ideas here.

Do you care to be more specific?

WW