How does ice form on a pond? Jonathan – Denver, CO You look
forward to and enjoy the ice formations that appear on your pond
each winter but have you ever wondered how it begins? Why is it
that the ice in your pond expands when it freezes instead of
shrinking and why does ice float? Unlike those horror flashbacks
of falling asleep in science class we’ll keep this as simple and
interesting as possible. As the air cools off outside your water
looses heat and becomes heavier. This cool and heavy water sinks
to the bottom of the pond as the lighter warmer water rises to
the top to cool. This process continues until the pond water
reaches about 4 degrees Celsius or 39 degrees Fahrenheit and the
water cools enough to freeze. Water is unique in the fact that
as is it freezes its molecules form crystals that are spaced
farther apart causing ice to expand and take up more space. Once
the water in your pond begins to form these crystals and expand
it actually becomes lighter than warmer unfrozen water and once
again be