
Ice is slippery. We all know that and take precautions when we have to walk across even a small amount, but when we put on ice skates, something magical happens. While ice skating uses many of the same skills and techniques as rollerblading, there is a fundamental difference in what's happening between the skater and the icy surface. That's because water, the most abundant substance on earth, is kind of strange in comparison with other materials.
Water crystallizes when it freezes into a solid. However, unlike most substances, ice is less dense than water, which is why ice cubes float in your drink. Under the right conditions, ice will melt into water under pressure, while other substances just compact. When a person wear ice skates, their weight is concentrated into a very small surface, creating more pressure. That's why the condition of a sheet of ice is different before a skater reaches it, while the skate is on the surface, and then after the skater passes the ice. This combination of ice conditions allows a skater to glide across ice while keeping their balance (although it does take some practice). Read about the physical properties of ice and water that enable skating at Big Think.
(Image credit: Sandro Halank, Wikimedia Commons)









