[Shop-talk] Paging Mr Wizard

[Wayne]

On 2/4/2011 6:49 PM, Steve Shipley wrote:
>    Why DOESNT ice float.
> I just had a burger, fries, and a mug of root beer at the local A&W.  I was
> given a chilled glass mug and I poured my own drink.  I got the ice from
> the soft drink dispensor, but the root beer came from a separate tap that
> looked similar to a beer tap in a tavern.

That's weird.  My first thought was the sugar solution changed the 
density allowing it, but I realized that makes things even more buoyant. 
  I tried heating some water and mixing in sugar.  Ice cubes were 
visibly more buoyant and popped to the surface faster when dropped in.

Maybe if the root beer is largely corn syrup, that could be lower density.

There are many different structures (aletropes??) of ice crystals, and 
some are actually higher density than water, and shrink when frozen. 
But they have to be made under precise temps and pressures.

Curious to hear what you figure out.

-Wayne