Ice has been a fascinating substance for humans for centuries. From ancient myths and legends to modern science, the slippery nature of ice has been a source of intrigue and wonder. But why is ice slippery?

To answer this question, it’s important to first understand the unique properties of ice. At its most basic level, ice is simply water that has been frozen into a solid state. However, the process of freezing water into ice changes its structure, creating a crystalline lattice of tightly packed molecules. This highly ordered structure is due to the effect of hydrogen-bonding that places each oxygen atom in tetrahedral geometry, surrounded by four other oxygen atoms. In liquid water, the molecules are connected by only short-lived hydrogen bonds as it is a fluid, but in ice, the hydrogen bonds become permanent, resulting in a hexagonally shaped framework of molecules. This crystalline structure gives ice some of its most distinctive properties, including its smooth and uniform surface, which gives ice some of its slippery nature.

At the surface of ice, another phenomenon occurs that leads to the layers just below the surface of ice to display liquid-like properties. This is not to be confused with the most widely thrown around theory that ice is slippery due to liquids on its surface. Pre-melting at the surface causes on average one hydrogen bond to break of the four in the tetrahedral environment, so water molecules are forced to adopt configurations that are not as energetically favourable as those within the main portion of the material. At the interface between ice and its vapor, this can result in the top layers of ice becoming disordered. Such disorder makes it possible for molecules at the surface to flow, much like a liquid, accounting for why ice is slippery.

In addition to its smooth surface, ice also has a low coefficient of friction . Friction is a force that resists the movement of one object over another and is caused by the roughness of the surfaces in contact. The smooth surface of ice has a very low coefficient of friction, which means that it offers very little resistance to the movement of objects over it which allows them to slide easily over the surface of the ice, contributing to its slippery nature.

The temperature of ice can also affect its slipperiness. At colder temperatures, ice becomes harder and more brittle, which can increase its slipperiness. On the other hand, warmer temperatures can cause ice to become softer and more flexible, which can reduce its slipperiness. This is because the molecules in ice are constantly vibrating, and at colder temperatures, they vibrate more slowly, creating a harder surface. At warmer temperatures, the molecules move more quickly, causing the surface of the ice to become softer and more pliable.

Finally, the presence of water or other liquids on the surface of ice can also affect its slipperiness. When water is present on the surface of ice, it can act as a lubricant, reducing the friction between the ice and objects that come into contact with it. Secondly, most objects that glide over ice melt the surface molecules, and this newly formed water provides a surface with (oftentimes) even lower resistance, allowing the object to sit on top of a small army of rolling water molecules.

But the slippery nature of ice isn’t just a nuisance – it also has some important practical applications. In the world of sports, for example, ice is essential for sports such as ice skating and ice hockey as well as supporting many habitats