The discussion centers on the Mpemba effect, a phenomenon where hot water freezes faster than cold water under certain conditions. A recent study suggests that this effect may be explained by specific physical principles, although it does not occur universally. The conversation includes references to experimental setups that demonstrate the effect, emphasizing that special conditions are often required for it to manifest. Participants share personal experiences and tests related to the freezing rates of water at different temperatures.
PREREQUISITESPhysicists, science educators, students interested in thermodynamics, and anyone curious about the Mpemba effect and its implications in physical science.
It is a phenomenon that has baffled the world’s brightest minds since the time of Aristotle.
Now a team of physicists believe they may have solved the centuries old mystery of why hot water freezes faster than cold water.
Known as the Mpemba effect, water behaves unlike most other liquids by freezing into a solid more rapidly from a heated state than from room temperature.
russ_watters said:Just to be clear: while the wording of the news article makes it sound like this always occurs, in fact it almost always does not. Special/unusual experimental setups may sometimes enable it to occur.
See the similar discussions links for past discussions including a semi-scientific test I ran once to see if the phenomena would occur (it did not).
Yes. In one of the links below (if you can't find it I'll look later), is details of a test where I put 3 or 4 coffee cups with equal amounts of water at various temperatures into a freezer, with a temperature logger probe in each. The profiles were nearly exactly as expected.PeroK said:There is too much ice cream in the freezer compartment for me to try it straight away, but I was going to put a cup of boiling water and a cup of water at room temperature in there to see which one froze first. I guess, from what you're saying, the cup at room temperature would freeze first, as one would expect?
We'll help.HallsofIvy said:Well, if there is too much ice cream in the freezer, you will just have to sacrifice yourself, like a true scientist, and eat all that ice cream to empty the freezer!