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Does anyone know how ice really works?. I know it takes more energy to cool than to heat, does this mean ice will melt faster than it will thicken?.
I ask because of the warm days and marginally cool nights we are having.Could we be losing ice during the day and not getting as much back with the night freeze.
Secondly, if you have 5 inches on the edge of the lake will it be thicker or thinner in the middle.( Reading the last paragraph, I'd usually reply to the post with a stupid joke. Please try to be a better person than I am!).
I have avoided going into the middle of the lake, not knowing its thickness, because I'm chicken.
Any one have any ideas. Thanks.
I don't really have any idea about the science of ice, though your post brought something Randy mentioned last year to mind. I think he said that he wears neoprene or was it his drysuit, under his winter gear in these iffy periods. Definately would be a good idea if going on questionable ice. Also, someone mentioned having a few hooks in your pocket, or boards with nails in them in case you do go in.
I could probably find out the scientific answer in a engineering thermodynamics book I have at home but here's what observation,
ice-fishing, skating, kiting has shown me:
The ice usually forms around the perimeter of the lake first and melts
along the perimeter first because it's usually shallower there. It takes a less time for the ice to form on the lakes then it does for it to go away in the spring. Deeper water takes longer for the ice to form and longer for it to go away. The crutch of all this is currents and springs as they hinder the freezing process and enhance the melting process.
The ice is melting very little as far as I can tell on Mtka. The angle of the sun makes a huge difference. If this was April you would see puddles on the ice every day. But I've been checking a couple times a day in front of my house and the sun is not melting the ice on top. The sun is at about a low an angle as you can get right now. I've actually seen people towing ice houses onto the lake with ATV's today and yesterday. It was still 4.5 - 5.5 inches thick on Thursday.
steveb wrote: Does anyone know how ice really works?. I know it takes more energy to cool than to heat, does this mean ice will melt faster than it will thicken?.
My Cliff Claven like explanation from what I remember from school too many years ago.
Heat is energy and adding heat raises the temperature and removing heat lowers the temperature. If you add one BTU of energy to a pound of water its temperature goes up one degree F. Snow on the ice can slow down the release of heat and keep the ice thin.
When ice is at 32 degrees you have to add enery just to make 32 degree liquid. This extra energy is called the heat of fusion. So yes, it is harder to raise the temperature of ice to above the melting point.
Water is interesting because it shrinks as it gets colder until it reaches 39 degrees, then it expands as it gets colder. In winter the lake flips so the coldest water is on top. One problem in winter is that there can be streams or springs in the lake bottom that may release water enough warmer than 39 degrees to float to the surface and melt the ice. That is why you somtimes need local knowlege of a paticular lake. Usually, if the ice is clear of snow the thickness is pretty uniform all over the lake.
Does anyone know how ice really works?. I know it takes more energy to cool than to heat, does this mean ice will melt faster than it will thicken?.
........... Bill