00:00when you glide across an ice rink your weight applies pressure to the ice
00:07a common misconception is that this pressure melts the ice
00:11forming a thin water layer beneath your skates that allows for smooth sliding
00:16however this theory doesn't hold up clifford swartz from johns hopkins university in his
00:24article back of the envelope physics explains that even with a 60 kilogram skater using
00:29standard skate blades the pressure exerted is insufficient to significantly lower the ice's
00:35melting point so what truly makes ice skating such an enjoyable experience the answer lies in the work
00:42of victorian physicist michael faraday as ice forms a microscopic layer of water molecules remains on
00:50its surface creating the slipperiness we associate with ice this layer is not a result of the skater's
00:57pressure but rather a natural characteristic of ice interestingly this slick layer vanishes when
01:04temperatures drop below minus 10 degrees celsius making the ice less slippery keep this in mind the
01:11next time you venture onto the rink or if you're like me prepare for the occasional tumble for more
01:18intriguing insights check out why doesn't the spider stick to the web by robert matthews
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