# How to make ice without electricity?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-ice-without-electricity/621916>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 14, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-ice-without-electricity/621916 "2012-05-14T18:35:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-ice-without-electricity/621916/42 "2012-05-30T16:44:34Z")

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If the reaction was endothermic, I’d expect the reverse to be exo - I.e. harder in hot temperatures.

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-ice-without-electricity/621916/43 "2012-05-30T18:43:41Z")

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> [@AaronX](#):
>
> If the reaction was endothermic, I’d expect the reverse to be exo - I.e. harder in hot temperatures.

Could you explain more? Would it be more difficult to get the reaction at higher temperatures? Also, would the ammonium nitrate break down in solution? I recall some high school chemistry where heating ammonium nitrate produces nitrous oxide.

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**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-ice-without-electricity/621916/44 "2012-05-31T03:05:39Z")

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If you know chemistry, it’s Le Chatelier’s principle. In particular, for a change in temperature: [Le Chatelier's principle - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Chatelier%27s_principle#Effect_of_change_in_temperature)  
In brief, a system opposes any changes you make.

Or you could think of a chemical cold pack like a pack of ice. Its use is to absorb heat. So to recharge, you should do the opposite - take away heat. It’s going to be harder to take away heat using a hot surrounding than a cold surrounding.

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**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-ice-without-electricity/621916/45 "2012-05-31T03:23:15Z")

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You should rent **The Mosquito Coast** , ice making and pre-industrial survival in one

> **[The Mosquito Coast (1986) ⭐ 6.6 | Adventure, Drama, Thriller](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091557/)**
>
> 1h 57m | PG

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**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-ice-without-electricity/621916/46 "2012-05-31T03:27:50Z")

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Buying bag ice at the gas station/convenience store/bait shop is a time-honored tradition!  
~VOW

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