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APPLIED FIZZICS · Field Notes · Edition No. 12
A whimsical look at the universe through a glass of Champagne (or your favorite cocktail).
October 13, 2026 · Seattle, Washington
Dear Reader,
Everybody knows that ice makes drinks cold.
But here's a question: Does ice chill your drink because it's cold—or because it melts?
To find out, we filled three identical cups with room-temperature water. Then we added equal weights of three different materials, all chilled to 32°F:
- Stainless-steel ball bearings
- Ice-cold water
- Ice
Same weight. Same starting temperature.
Three dramatically different results.
The steel barely cooled the water. The cold water did considerably better. But the ice brought our drink (the cup of water) all the way down to freezing.
Why?
The answer involves one of the most remarkable properties of water, a little molecular physics, and something called the latent heat of fusion.
Along the way, we'll discover what a Snickers Bar has to do with thermodynamics—and why Florida citrus growers sometimes spray their trees with water to protect them from freezing.
This week's Field Notes is a little different. At over fourteen minutes, it's our first Field Notes Feature—our most ambitious investigation yet, complete with live experiments and a molecular simulator we built to help explain what happens when ice melts.
Watch Field Notes Feature #1: Why Does Ice Chill Your Drink?
We have a new quiz for you this week:
This Week's Quiz
Question: Why do Florida citrus growers sometimes spray their trees with water when freezing temperatures threaten?
Reveal the Answer
Answer: B. When water freezes, it releases its latent heat of fusion. This heat helps protect the fruit and trees from freezing damage, provided that sufficient water continues to be applied.
BONUS VIDEO: Confessions of an Ice Addict
Last week, our experiments with bubbles trapped in ice didn't exactly go according to plan. But we finally got it right! We got a giant air bubble in a giant column of ice, floated it, and watched it melt.
For a rather less serious look at our adventures with ice, watch our two-minute short on YouTube, Confessions of an Ice Addict.
Until next time, stay curious.
Cheers,
Evan Wallace
President, Applied Fizzics Inc.
Makers of The Perlage System®
Want more Champagne science, carbonation experiments, and assorted investigations? Visit the Applied Fizzics Field Notes archive.
