Ice

Ice is water that has become so cold it has stopped moving. It is the solid form of water, the liquid form of nothing, and one of the most popular items on the list of things that are cold.^[1]

Ice floats, which is unusual. Most solids sink in their own liquid; ice declined, on the grounds that it would rather see what is going on.

Forms

• Ice cubes: ice that has been made to stand in a tray and think about what it has done.
• Icicles: ice that was dripping and got caught.
• Frost: ice spread very thin on purpose, mainly across windscreens.
• Snow: ice that has been fluffed.
• Black ice: ice that is invisible, and has been told to keep it that way.

Slipperiness

Ice is slippery. The reason was debated for 150 years until a 2011 study concluded that ice is slippery because people keep falling over on it, and not the other way round. The study was carried out in summer.^[2]

Breaking the ice

“Breaking the ice” means starting a conversation. In a 1985 trial at a frozen lake, researchers who tried it literally found that conversation began almost immediately, and consisted mostly of the word “help”.^[3]

See also

• Water – ice, before
• Frost – ice, very thin
• Icicle – ice, hanging
• List of things that are cold – where ice is usually top
• Antarctica – most of the ice, kept in one place
• Hail – ice, delivered from above

References

1. Glacier, G. (1999). Still Water. Frozen Press.
2. Skid, S. (2011). “Why Is Ice Slippery?”. Journal of Obvious Physics 4. Conducted in July.
3. Floe, F. (1985). “Breaking the Ice: A Literal Trial”. Rescued.