Why Is Ice So Slippery?
Ice has a super thin layer of liquid water on its surface — even when frozen
Learning Objective
Students will learn why ice is slippery and the thin water layer that forms on its surface.
What You'll Learn
- Ice has a super thin layer of liquid water on its surface — even when frozen
- This water layer acts like a lubricant, making things slide easily
- Pressure from skating or stepping on ice creates more liquid water
- Friction also melts the top layer of ice slightly
- Without this water layer, ice would be as rough as sandpaper!
Words to Know
- Slippery
- Hard to stand on because things slide
- "Ice is very slippery."
- Friction
- The force that slows things when they rub
- "Friction melts a little ice."
- Pressure
- A push or squeeze
- "Skate blades put pressure on ice."
- Lubricant
- Something slippery that makes things slide
- "The water layer is a lubricant."
Check What You Learned
Quick Quiz
1 / 5Which of these is TRUE?
Fun Facts
Ice has a quasi-liquid layer (pre-melting layer) on its surface even below 0C
Source: Nature journal, 1996
This water layer acts as a lubricant, reducing friction
Source: Journal of Glaciology
Pressure from skates/weight lowers the melting point of ice, creating more liquid water
Source: Physics textbooks — pressure melting theory
Friction from sliding generates heat that melts the top layer of ice
Source: Journal of Tribology
An ice skate blade is ~1mm wide, creating very high pressure under it
Source: American Institute of Physics
Without the water layer, ice would have high friction — like sandpaper
Source: Nature
Watch next
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Static electricity is a buildup of tiny electric charges on an object
Lesson Info
Standards Alignment
Play the whole series
Episode 6 of everyday physics lab
Keywords
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