> "What freezes faster, hot water or cold water?" > > and just as importantly... > > "Why?" > > I just got off the phone with the Zamboni guy at the local > rink, and he says they fill the Zamboni with hot water because > "it's supposed to freeze faster." Karl, cold water freezes quicker. To illustrate, set two glasses of water outside on a cold day (assuming it gets below freezing). Let one glass be room-temperature tap water and let one glass be very hot water. Actually, don't use real glass because the hot glass may shatter - use plastic cups. Anyway, assuming each cup holds the same amount of water and both cups are of the same material, the one with the colder water to start will freeze first. By the way, the mechanical engineer in me (Wow! I actually get to use this stuff...) says that hot water is put in the Zamboni to better melt the top layer of ice. That way, it's easier to get rid of all the blemishes in the ice surface. I would bet the Zamboni guy just tossed out an answer. Anyone in the "cyber-rink" out there have an opinion? Carl Ford Naval Research Laboratory Ultraviolet Measurements Group GO TERRIERS!!! GO GOPHERS!!!