Freezing up is a special period in nature

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:53

The formation of ice on the surface of water, whether it be a river, a lake, or a glass left in the cold, is an amazing phenomenon. It is related to the physical properties of liquid substances.

How ice is formed

In heat, water molecules form chains, long and stretched. This is why water is an amorphous substance. The transition to such a state of aggregation as ice is possible only when the thermometer drops to zero. In this case, water molecules line up in special lattices. In fact, it looks like the formation of ice. The second name is freezing. This wildlife is arranged in such a way that the freezing of water bodies in it usually stretches for a long period. This phenomenon is related to weather conditions. For the formation of first ice, it is enough for a good frost to stand for a couple of nights with relative calm. However, a sharp warming, sleet with rain, wind and damp fogs can cause the water to return to its liquid state again. Then the freezing period will be delayed for an unknown time.

All summer and warm autumn, reservoirs accumulate heat, so by the beginning of the first frosts, the water is warmer than the surrounding air. Not surprising,because the density of water is much greater! The contact of warm water and cooled air leads to a reaction called heat transfer.

When the water on the surface has a temperature of +4 degrees Celsius, the mixing of the surface layer of water will begin, with deeper ones. The liquid that was on the surface becomes dense, and warm water from below displaces it due to its lower density. Thus, the entire water column cools evenly.

Freezing up is a phenomenon in which the water temperature becomes equal to zero degrees, and ice appears on the reservoir. In real life, the temperature minimum can differ by several degrees. This is due to the presence of various impurities in the water, as well as the type of reservoir, its depth, current, bottom topography.

Freezing up on the rivers

Freezing up is an extremely dangerous period for entering the ice of the river. On a constant flow, ice forms later than on stagnant water bodies. But the ice growth here is much faster due to the fact that the water is colder.

The main danger of first ice on rivers is a change in water level. Groundwater freezes and stops feeding the water artery, because of this, the water level drops sharply, and the first ice that forms begins to break. Ice floes are knocked down by the current in one place, where they then safely freeze, forming ice hummocks.

When you can go on the ice

It is believed that 5 cm thick ice can support the weight of one person. However, loverswinter fishing is not recommended to open the season until the ice thickness reaches at least 10 cm - it is believed that with this thickness the freeze-up has ended. It doesn't have to be checked every day. No need to constantly go to the river. It is enough to make simple calculations and roughly orient yourself with the date of entry on the ice. It is believed that with the existing ice of 10 cm and an air temperature of minus 5 degrees, the thickness of the cover will add 4 cm per day, at a temperature of -10 - 6 cm. The thickness of the ice will almost double if the temperature stays at -20 degrees for a day.