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Q:
Why does ice melt faster in water than in Coca-Cola and why do two ice cubes stick together in a glass of water?
- Maria (age 13)
S.F., CA, USA
A:
Hi Maria,
We have an answer to a similar question, about why ice melts more slowly in salt water than in fresh water
here.
Ice
cubes, if they are much colder than the freezing point of water (for
example, when you take them out of a very cold freezer), have the
ability to freeze a little bit of water around them as heat is
transferred from the water into the ice cube, warming it up. If two
very cold ice cubes are very close together when put into water, they
may freeze the water between them solid and therefore become stuck
together.
Tom J.
(published on 10/22/2007)
Follow-up on this answer.
