Mysterious Water Freezes Instantly in Cold Climate

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SUMMARY

The phenomenon of water freezing instantly in extremely cold conditions, specifically at -5°F, is attributed to the supercooling of water. When water is cooled below 32°F without nucleation points, it remains in a liquid state until disturbed. Shaking the bottle introduces pressure fluctuations that promote ice crystal formation, leading to the immediate freezing observed. Additionally, carbonated water experiences a rise in freezing point as carbon dioxide escapes, further complicating the freezing behavior.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of supercooling and nucleation points
  • Basic principles of thermodynamics
  • Knowledge of pressure effects on phase changes
  • Familiarity with the behavior of carbonated liquids
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  • Research the principles of supercooling in liquids
  • Study the effects of pressure on freezing points
  • Explore the behavior of carbonated beverages under varying temperatures
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Students of physics and chemistry, researchers in thermodynamics, and anyone interested in the unique properties of water and its behavior under extreme conditions.

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Got a question about something that happened to me today, hoping someone might have an answer that might explain it. I went to get a bottle of water from the fridge that is out in our porch where there is no insulation from the outside. In New England it is very cold about -5F today. I opened the bottle of water (poland spring) then put the cap back on shook it and it imediatly froze to a slush. Now I have seen this type of behavior in super saturated liquids, when something is placed or dropped it immediatly forms solids, but of course I don't believe this has anything to do with it. I don't believe the bottles are pressurized for safety measures. It just seemed really weird can anyone give a remote explanation of what occurred I ahvegone through several physics classes and one chemistry class but never heard r seen this done.
 
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Water was 'super-cooled'. When water cools below O C, or 32 F (actually a bit lower because of dissolved salts), but there are no nucleation points, then the ice crystals do not form. Similarly, it is possible to create super-heated water that is hotter than boiling, but is still which will explode into boiling when stimulated.

Shaking the bottle creates local spikes and troughs in pressure that facilitate the formation of ice.

For carbonated water there is an additional factor that as the bubbles escape, the freezing point of the water rises.
 
i had a bottle of pop do that a week ago, thanks boggled me too
 

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