You may have seen it online: throw boiling water into cold air, and it might freeze before it hits the ground.
“The water droplets quickly freeze and turn into ice crystals,” explained Exploration Place Tech Up Facilitator, Jaclyn Baxter.
However, the experiment does carry some risks, especially for those who choose to throw the water overhead.
“I wouldn’t recommend throwing boiling water over your head. You should watch out for slipping, make sure you have the correct temperature of -31 and make sure the wind isn’t blowing towards you, just to be safe,” Baxter explained.
If the boiled water is not hot enough, or the outside temperature isn’t cold enough, there remains a risk that the water will not turn into ice crystals, prompting the concern.
The experiment demonstrates the Mpemba effect, which is when hot water freezes faster than cold water.
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