2006-07-16 19:44:48 · 17 answers · asked by raseem_ar 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
The temperature of water raises and lowers faster than land does. The bottom of the pond is touching earth that is way below the level of the land surrounding the pond. The earth on the bottom of the pond stays warm much longer than the water. This keeps the water above it warm. If if were cold enough for long enough the whole pond would eventually freeze.
2006-07-16 19:51:54 · answer #1 · answered by 5cent Frog 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The temperature dependance of the density of water is unlike any other. Water is most dense at 4 degrees centigrade, so even before freezing you have a temperature profile in the pond (4 degrees at the bottom, cooler water is closer to the surface). When the pond starts to freeze it begins from the surface down (because the water is coolest there), and the bouyancy of the ice keeps it afloat. The ice thickens into the depth of the pond, but I think it can`t ever freeze all the way down, because the water under the ice can`t be cooled enough (because the season`s temperature oscilations are less pronounced the deeper we go - that is why the water doesn`t freeze in the underground pipes).
2006-07-17 03:01:16 · answer #2 · answered by ahab_orr 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The temperature of the water increases as it goes deeper down the pond (in the winter) since the top layer of the pond help insulates the cold air. In addition, the ground emits heat to the the bottom of the pond.
2006-07-17 02:49:00 · answer #3 · answered by galactic_man_of_leisure 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
water will only freeze to the bottom of a pond if its less than 6 feet deep, and gets below freezing for extended periods of time below 6 feet down, the temperature stays pretty well the same all year long, and the soil under the water heats it up
2006-07-17 02:49:34 · answer #4 · answered by judy_r8 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
water is the onle thing known to man that the solid is less dense than the liquid form. it expands as it drops those last couple degrees,
if it got cold enough it would eventually freeze solid no matter how deep the 'pond' or 'lake' w/e. icebergs in the artic go deeper than 6 feet.
we are lucky it is this way, because if ice sunk in water like solid aluminum sinks in melted aluminum, etc,
eventually the ice at the bottom of the oceans would not get a chance to remelt, soon they would fill to the top as solid ice, and life would not survive on earth
2006-07-17 03:35:50 · answer #5 · answered by dwh 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The ambient air temperature drops below 0. C or 32. F water will freeze. As the top freezes, it begins to insulate the underlying water. If the temperature drops lower it penetrates deeper and the ice gets thicker. As the ice gets thicker it insulates deeper.
2006-07-17 02:55:12 · answer #6 · answered by James L 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ice is 10% less dense then liquid water thus it floats. it creates a layer on the top of a pond and insolates the rest of the water below it preventing it from freezing.
2006-07-17 02:49:30 · answer #7 · answered by sarahdancer123 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is due to the anomalous behavior of water.
Water at 4 degree centigrade has the greatest density.
Below 4 degree centigrade the density decreases, that is the volume increases for same mass of water.
At zero degree centigrade water is converted into ice at zero degree centigrade. And the volume of ice is more than the volume of water.
Density of ice is less than that of water.
During winter, when the surface of water at ponds becomes 4 degree centigrade, due to high density these water goes to the bottom of the pond. Hot water at the bottom of the pond comes up.
This water gets cooled to 4 degree centigrade and again goes to the bottom.
Due to this convection of water, water at the bottom is always at 4 degree centigrade and there is decreasing temperature gradient from bottom to the top layer.
As we go up and up the temperature falls from 4 to 0 degree.
Since top layer is at zero degree it gets converted into ice.
And the formation of ice is from the top to bottom.
The bottom layer is converted into ice as the temperature falls.
2006-07-17 04:19:25 · answer #8 · answered by Pearlsawme 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Water's density is highest at 4 degrees centigrade. Ice has lower density, hence ice floats on water. Ice is a bad conductor of heat. Therefore once ice forms on top layer, water below is insulated from the cold temperature of atmosphere and does not turn into ice. This is a wonderful way of nature to keep marine life going below frozen top layers of oceans and lakes.
2006-07-17 02:59:11 · answer #9 · answered by Geepee 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I guess it freezes from top to bottom, so once the top is frozen, the bottom doesn't have a chance to freeze. Just a guess.
2006-07-17 02:47:21 · answer #10 · answered by jerm_man 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋