Water/Freezing point

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Revision as of 17:30, 28 July 2010 by imported>Milton Beychok (Testing)
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Not measurable


Note: The freezing point of "pure" water is not measurable, whereas the melting point is. This is because pure water does not freeze without help of a solid crystallization kernel.[1] Very cold (metastable) pure liquid water can be obtained by "supercooling" pure water. Pure liquid water has been reported to be possible down to various extremely low temperatures: (-38°C to -45°C[2]) and (231 K=-43.9°C[3]).

The standard unit of thermodynamic temperature, currently defined in the SI system as K (Kelvin), selects as the fundamental fixed point the triple point of water. One Kelvin, and therefore 1°C (Celsius), is specified by multiple standards bodies[4][5] as the fraction 1/273.16 of waters triple point. Formerly (until 1954[6]) the definition developed by Anders Celsius had fixed the 0°C point at the "freezing point" of water.[7] It is now generally accepted that while the phase transition from solid to liquid water occurs at a predictable temperature (namely 0°C), the transition from liquid to solid water does not. This is because the actual "Freezing" is dependent upon the previously mentioned nucleation as well as the temperature.