Why Sub-Zero Temperature Water Doesn't Become Ice
Wednesday, May 27, 2015 - 10:20
in Physics & Chemistry
Water behaves in mysterious ways, especially below zero before it turns into ice. Physicists have recently observed the spontaneous first steps of the ice formation process, as tiny crystal clusters as small as 15 molecules start to exhibit the recognizable structural pattern of crystalline ice. A new study finds that liquid water does not become completely unstable as it becomes supercooled, prior to turning into ice crystals, because of an energy barrier for crystal formation in which supercooled water's compressibility continues to rise. Interestingly, liquid water becomes easier to compress, the colder it gets - unlike other substances, which become harder to compress as temperature drops. read more