Miracle water or science?
On Saturday, when it was about zero degrees outside, I got in my car to drive to work at about 12:30 p.m. My kids and husband had been outside sledding, and I found a water bottle in my car. It looked odd because it wasn't the least bit frozen. I figured my family must have brought it outside, put it in my car and forgotten it.
"Woo-hoo, water for me," I thought as I picked it up to have a sip while my car warmed up in the garage.
I opened it and started to drink. It immediately started to freeze. Within seconds, there was only a straw-size hole in the top to let out water. I lowered it from my mouth and watched as the whole bottle froze solid in my hand within about 20 seconds.
I asked my family, and they all say they did not put the water there on that morning. At the time, I assumed one of the kids had taken one drink out of it, but now I can't be certain whether or not it was factory sealed.
No one I have told this to can explain it. What happened? Is it air pressure? Jack Frost?
Comments
Wikipedia | Supercooling
YouTube | Quick Ice: Supercooled Water Experiments
Posted by: Barrett | January 8, 2009 12:48 AM
Science, schmience--I blame Mr. Freeze.
"Ice to see you!"
"Let's kick some ice!"
"You're not sending ME to the COOLER!"
"Kia of Duluth!!!"
Posted by: Mary | January 8, 2009 01:05 AM
Also: related reading.
Posted by: Barrett | January 8, 2009 01:29 AM
I've had that happen before - with beer! It was the best Grolsch I've ever had.
Posted by: jenny | January 8, 2009 07:40 AM
I have had this happen to me many a time, actually, due to my habit of putting assorted bottled beverages in the freezer to quick-cool them, and then forgetting about them. I think it's pretty neat, and now I LOOK for it to happen on purpose. But there's nothing you can really do to promote it outside of a lab - it's just kind of luck of the draw.
Posted by: Dizastress | January 8, 2009 09:04 AM
You're totally a mutant!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceman_(comics)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracy_Strauss#Tracy_Strauss
Posted by: Bad Cat! | January 8, 2009 10:46 AM
Thanks, Barrett! You can be my research assistant any time.
Posted by: Beverly | January 8, 2009 01:44 PM
... and I have read "Cat's Cradle," so the thought occurred to me that my drink had just become dangerous. Ice-Nine! Aaaaa!
Posted by: Beverly | January 8, 2009 02:01 PM
this may explain it.
http://van.physics.uiuc.edu/qa/listing.php?id=1462
Posted by: kokigami | January 8, 2009 04:18 PM
You disturbed the surface tension of the water in the bottle.
Posted by: Beck | January 8, 2009 06:28 PM
beverly- that was my first thought.
ice-9! for the love of God, don't let it spread!
Posted by: dawn | January 10, 2009 05:58 PM
Never observed this with water [drinking bottled water makes Baby Azathoth cry, you know]. It's really funny to supercool beer, although kind of frustrating if you're expecting to be able to drink it right away--there, the release of the dissolved carbon dioxide precipitates flash-freezing when you open it.
Posted by: The Big E | January 10, 2009 06:25 PM