# Ice defies gravity!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-defies-gravity/328512>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 29, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-defies-gravity/328512 "2005-10-29T22:13:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![LiQUiDBuD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@LiQUiDBuD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiQUiDBuD)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-defies-gravity/328512/1 "2005-10-29T22:13:22Z")

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Ok, I just opened my freezer to get some ice for a Crown & Coke, and noticed that the ice tray on top had an icicle going upwards. I know I haven’t drank that much yet, and surely I’m not hallucinating.

Does anybody know how ice can seemingly defy gravity during the freezing process? Does the surface tension of the water have anything to do with this effect? Can anyone explain my gravity defying ice?

LiQUiDBuD

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**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-defies-gravity/328512/2 "2005-10-29T22:30:27Z")

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[Spikecicles](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=330978&highlight=spikecicle%2A)

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**Author:** ![LiQUiDBuD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@LiQUiDBuD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiQUiDBuD)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-defies-gravity/328512/3 "2005-10-29T23:02:36Z")

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Thanks for the reply **Squink**. I should have used the search function before posting :smack: Will remember that next time 😃

LiQUiDBuD

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**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-defies-gravity/328512/4 "2005-10-30T01:49:53Z")

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At first I thought this was about someone whose intelligence was currently low bieng amazed that ice floats…

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**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-defies-gravity/328512/5 "2005-10-30T07:54:10Z")

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> [@dwalin](#):
>
> At first I thought this was about someone whose intelligence was currently low bieng amazed that ice floats…

Me too. So just in case:

> **[Scientific Explanation of Why Ice Floats](https://www.thoughtco.com/why-does-ice-float-604304)**
>
> Ice floats on water. Have you ever wondered why? Learn about hydrogen bonding and density to understand why ice floats.