Why aren't ice cubes clear even when you use bottled/filtered water?

Question

Is it the same theory on how snow is white?

Answer 1

I'm no ice cube expert, but I think the reason your ice cubes aren't clear will be primarily due to two reasons.

* Ice cube tray not 100% clean.
* Bottled water / filtered water still not 100% pure.

If you have micro-specs of dirt on the ice cube tray or water with slight impurity this will magnify when you freeze, meaning the cubes will not be 100% clear. Check this website out for more info on making clear ice cubes
http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Make-Clear-Ice-Cubes

As for the second part of your question, regarding snow being white, check out http://science.howstuffworks.com/question524.htm.

I can't paraphrase this one for you as it seems to be rather scientific. Best of luck!

Answer 2

because there are gases trapped here and there in the water and they appear white when it starts freezing. so those homemade ice cubes never look clear. but if you make the icecubes with a machine...it's possible to get a clear crystal icecube. see icecubes in restaurant, they're really crystal-alike

Answer 3

Icicles are clear. It's because they are formed in layers and come from pure water (melted snow)

Most ice cubes are cloudy due to the presence of air.

Bottled water still has minerals in it. You need to use distilled water or boil water to remove the air

Answer 4

Strangely enough I think I know the answer to this because I asked the same question in high school many years ago. It's air bubbles. When you pour the water into the tray, air still moves through the water, even if we can't see it. The molecules start to slow as the water freezes, and the air gets "trapped" in the water. If you hold an ice cube against the light, the streaks and the "white" you see in the cube are just "frozen" air molecules.

Answer 5

Regaurdless of what kind of water you use almost all ice has a cloudy appearance.. I read about this once but can't quite remember the whole principal to it. I do know however it takes a special and slow treatment to make water freeze clearly.

My theory however is that when water freezes the oxygen in it becomes denser and thus shows itself in the ice... Although that's just my guess....

Answer 6

Its the exact same reason snow is white. Air.

Answer 7

They aren't clear because tiny cracks form when it is freezing causing a whitish color.

Answer 8

uhm

Answer 9

It all has something to do with science. I'm not exactly sure how it goes, but kind of like when water is boiled, it turns into vapor, well when it is frozen, it turns into a solid and obviously the thickness would make it not so clear.