Physics FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

[damccut]

It has long been observed in the far north, that the big lakes do not freeze when the air temperature is -40, but when the air temperature and the water temperature are less disparate.

I hadn't heard that. I wonder if it has anything to do with how the air and water interact. I was able to show that water is made of hydrogen and oxygen atoms that are exactly like ball bearings of a particular size depending on temperature, and that the movement of the hydrogens from loosely attached to strongly attached forces themselves in between the oxygens, which is why the molecules expand. If the air and water are too disparate in size then they may not be able to transfer energy in the form of heat slowly, but rather so rapidly that the water does not cool at the surface as one would expect, but gets jostled around more forcefully and stays liquid.

Something to think about anyway. Thanks for the info.

[damccut]

Upon further reflection, this sounds more like one of the cases of average temperature playing the major role. If the temperature of the water is several degrees above freezing and temperature suddenly drops to -40°F, it won't freeze immediately. When the temperature then warms up to 20°F the water has had time to cool considerably and will then freeze.