clhs sciblog

Why does hot water freeze faster than cold water? This is one of the modern science’s few remaining mysteries. It’s called the Mpemba effect. It only occurs under certain circumstances. Because of the bigger difference in temperature between water and the freezer, hot water freezes faster. and it helps it reach the freezing point before the cold water reaches its natural freezing point (5 Degrees C Lower). Of the the certain circumstances is that the location of the samples in the freezer, and the type of container.

I don’t understand this theory at all because cold water is closer to being frozen than hot water. It’s like a race, and the cold water seems closer to ice. Maybe it’s not about the hot water and cold water and physics, maybe it’s just about how the refrigerator works. If you put something cool in a refrigerator, it’s less likely to trigger the thermostat that turns on the compressor than if you put something hot in the same refrigerator.

Read an article on the Mpemba effect here.