Why is ice slippery? When other substances such as metal or candlewax reach
a temperature that solidifies them they are not slippery so why water?

"bob watkinson" wrote in message
...
Why is ice slippery? When other substances such as metal or candlewax
reach a temperature that solidifies them they are not slippery so why
water?

Interesting question. Google found me the following:

http://www.exploratorium.edu/hockey/ice2.html

HTH,
Steve

"SteveS" wrote in message
. ..
"bob watkinson" wrote in message
...
Why is ice slippery? When other substances such as metal or candlewax
reach a temperature that solidifies them they are not slippery so why
water?

Interesting question. Google found me the following:

http://www.exploratorium.edu/hockey/ice2.html

HTH,
Steve

Thanks Steve. I wonder if water is the only substance to behave this way
when it freezes.

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 11:12:36 GMT, "SteveS"
wrote:

"bob watkinson" wrote in message
...
Why is ice slippery? When other substances such as metal or candlewax
reach a temperature that solidifies them they are not slippery so why
water?

Interesting question. Google found me the following:

http://www.exploratorium.edu/hockey/ice2.html


Ice is quite different to other slippery substances.

Teflon's fluorine filled molecules repel most other molecules (except fried egg)
hence why PTFE is slippery.

Graphite consists of layers of sheets of carbon atoms in a particular lattice
and the forces between sheets are weak, so they can easily slide across each
other.

As for slippery ice, I have noticed that ice can become quite "sticky" at low
temperatures - this, I presume, is due to the moisture layer on the skin, car
tyre or sole of your boot freezing to the ice. Nearly everyone has experienced
the strange effect when touching the coils of your home freezer and your fingers
sticking to it. I had a similar experience in Canada when at -20 C I got my
hand stuck to the car door handle.

Martin



HTH,
Steve

bob watkinson wrote:
Why is ice slippery? When other substances such as metal or candlewax reach
a temperature that solidifies them they are not slippery so why water?



It is more slippery when wet, rather than when dry.
(coefficient of friction = 0 = wet ice on wet ice)
Clean smooth metal surfaces can be very slippery, as can some smooth
stone floors.
Smooth = slippery = no friction.

--
Gianna Stefani

www.buchan-meteo.org.uk

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 11:36:17 +0000, bob watkinson wrote:

Thanks Steve. I wonder if water is the only substance to behave this way
when it freezes.

There's a lot of explanation of the unusual properties of water he
http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/anmlies.html



Mike

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 12:10:00 +0000, JPG wrote:


sticking to it. I had a similar experience in Canada when at -20 C I got my
hand stuck to the car door handle.

Ouch.

How did you get it off - simply pull hard (so losing some skin) and
get someone to douse it with water?

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 14:27:34 GMT, (mjones) wrote:

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 12:10:00 +0000, JPG wrote:


sticking to it. I had a similar experience in Canada when at -20 C I got my
hand stuck to the car door handle.

Ouch.

How did you get it off - simply pull hard (so losing some skin) and
get someone to douse it with water?

Standard advice for small metal objects is to *not* try and remove your hand
straight away, but to grasp the handle more firmly, so allowing body heat to
melt the ice layer.

"Mike Causer" wrote in message
newsan.2005.01.26.13.35.48.404111@firstnamelastn ame.com.invalid...
On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 11:36:17 +0000, bob watkinson wrote:

Thanks Steve. I wonder if water is the only substance to behave this way
when it freezes.

There's a lot of explanation of the unusual properties of water he
http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/anmlies.html



Mike

fascinating site, many thanks

"JPG" wrote
Nearly everyone has experienced
the strange effect when touching the coils of your home freezer and your
fingers
sticking to it. I had a similar experience in Canada when at -20 C I got
my
hand stuck to the car door handle.

I had a parallel problem at Gatwick one night. The car door lock was iced
up and as I tried to turn the key, the torque was sufficient to twist me
instead of the key. The ground was very slippery, my feet went from under
me and I landed quite gently on my bum. Mind you, half an hour earlier, I
had put 20 tonnes of aircraft smoothly (?!) onto the runway, so I was in
good practice at doing gentle touchdowns:-)

Jack