What Is a Brinicle?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. What is a brinicle?

The Big Idea

A brinicle is a hollow tube of ice that grows downward from sea ice! It forms from super-salty, super-cold water called brine. Some people call it an ice stalactite. What a strange and wonderful thing!

Making Sea Ice

Step one: sea ice forms. When sea ice forms, super-salty, super-cold water drains out of it. This extra-salty water is called brine, and it is even saltier than the sea.

Sinking Brine

Step two: sinking brine. The brine is heavy, so it sinks toward the sea floor. It is even colder than the seawater around it, and it can drop below the normal freezing point.

Ice Tube

Step three: a growing tube. The freezing brine turns the seawater around it into ice, forming a skinny, hollow column. Cameras have filmed one growing under Antarctic ice.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! Sea ice sits at the top, floating on the ocean. Cold brine drains out of it. The brine sinks and freezes the water around it. An icy tube grows toward the sea floor.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Brinicles are sometimes called ice stalactites. A cave stalactite hangs from the ceiling, and a brinicle hangs from the ice. Cameras filmed one growing for a nature show in Antarctica. It looked like a ghostly icicle underwater. Only trained scientists should explore under sea ice.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Draw a brinicle as a long, thin ice tube hanging from sea ice. Add arrows showing cold brine sinking inside. Show your drawing to a grown-up! Share what you discover with a grown-up.

Outro

A brinicle is a hollow tube of ice that grows from sinking brine. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!