Thread: How ice forms
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Old 02-11-2010, 07:03 AM   #3
fatlazyless
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Ice is much sturdier at 10-degree temp than at 30-degree temp. It obviously will crystalize into ice at 32-degrees but seems to have much greater strength, hardness, & elasticity as it cools down from 30 to 10-degrees. It's definately much tougher to chop at ten degrees, requiring a 2-lb mason's hammer to pound on an ice-chopper to break up lake ice around the dock.

Maybe for the same reason, making ski area snow with compressed air and water works a lot better at ten degrees than at 30.
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