Book 14, Question 65
Why Do Ice Cubes Crackle in a Drink?
Ice cubes crackle because the ice gets stressed when it warms up quickly! The outside swells while the inside stays cold. The ice cracks and tiny air bubbles pop out.
More fun facts
- Ice cracks when a room temperature drink is poured over it because of thermal stress.
- Like other solids, ice shrinks when it gets colder and expands when it gets warmer.
- The outer layers of a cube warm up and expand first, but heat takes time to reach the inside, so the middle does not expand.
- Ice is brittle, so it cannot change its shape without breaking into pieces.
- The surest way to make crackly ice is to get it really cold and pour a hot drink over it.
- Very tiny ice, like crushed grains, probably will not make big noisy cracks, and snow does not make much noise when you pour water on it.
Sources: Illinois
Questions kids ask
Why do some ice cubes crackle more than others?
Colder ice and warmer drinks make a bigger difference between the outside and inside, so more cracks form.
Is cracked ice safe to use?
Yes. The cracks are just from temperature change.