Freezing Water in Unbreakable Containers

TL;DR

Water trapped in an unbreakable container still turns into ice, but it forms a different kind of ice with distinct properties.

Transcript

Freezing Water in Unbreakable Containers Some listeners may recall a science class in which an excitable teacher walked to the front of the class to show off a small, cracked steel container, seemingly damaged by an incredibly powerful, but tiny force; only for said teacher to reveal that the damage had been done by nothing more than water. However... Read More

Key Insights

• 🍧 Water can exist in various solid phases, with each form of ice having unique properties and structures.
• 🥶 Researchers at Oxford University have made significant contributions to the understanding and creation of different forms of ice.
• 🥶 Manipulating temperature and pressure conditions can allow scientists to create specific forms of ice.

Questions & Answers

Q: How many different forms of ice are currently known?

There are currently 15 known solid phases of water, each with distinct density and internal structure.

Q: How did researchers at Oxford University create new forms of ice?

They used a combination of extreme temperatures and pressures, such as lowering the temperature to -143 degrees Celsius and applying pressure 10,000 times greater than Earth's atmosphere.

Q: How can scientists artificially create specific forms of ice?

Scientists can manipulate the temperature and pressure conditions by using substances like hydrochloric acid to alter the freezing point of water.

Q: Why does ice exert a significant force when it freezes and expands?

Water molecules form a rigid hexagonal structure when freezing, creating gaps between the atoms that result in less density as a solid compared to a liquid.

Q: How much pressure is required to prevent water from turning into regular ice?

According to the water phase diagram, about 43,511.31 pounds per square inch of pressure is needed to transform water into Ice II.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Water can exist in different solid phases, or forms of ice, depending on temperature and pressure.

• The most common form of ice is Hexagonal Ice, which occurs under regular freezing conditions.

• Researchers at Oxford University have discovered and created several new forms of ice, such as Ice XII, XIV, and XV.