I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
storage got high and a single ice cube got
placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
but started getting smaller, now it is
almost nothing.

What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
stay the same?

> wrote in message
...
>I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
> storage got high and a single ice cube got
> placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
> but started getting smaller, now it is
> almost nothing.
>
> What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
> stay the same?

Sublimation. Evaporation from the dryer air around it. Happens to snow also.

Sublimation

http://www.wonderquest.com/ice-sublime.htm


s


> wrote in message
...
>I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
> storage got high and a single ice cube got
> placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
> but started getting smaller, now it is
> almost nothing.
>
> What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
> stay the same?

On Tue, 18 Mar 2008 02:20:39 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

>I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
>storage got high and a single ice cube got
>placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
>but started getting smaller, now it is
>almost nothing.
>
>What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
>stay the same?

In addition to sublimation as mentioned in other replies, the
environment is not 'stay the same'. The defrost cycle, done on a daily
basis raises the temperature of the freezer some and things in certain
locations where not well cooled can approach freezing temperatures.

On Mar 18, 4:20*am, wrote:
> I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
> storage got high and a single ice cube got
> placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
> but started getting smaller, now it is
> almost nothing.
>
> What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
> stay the same?

Same reason water evaporates in an environment that appears to stay
the same. Solids can evaporate into gas. Dry ice is famous for doing
that.

PD

"PD" > wrote in message
...
On Mar 18, 4:20 am, wrote:
> I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
> storage got high and a single ice cube got
> placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
> but started getting smaller, now it is
> almost nothing.
>
> What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
> stay the same?

Same reason water evaporates in an environment that appears to stay
the same. Solids can evaporate into gas. Dry ice is famous for doing
that.

PD

==============


"Famous" is right! I saw some dry ice on Letterman's show last year.

S. wrote on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:12:23 -0500:

SB> http://www.wonderquest.com/ice-sublime.htm

SB> sublimation

SB> > wrote in message
SB>
...
??>> I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic
??>> ice maker storage got high and a single ice cube
??>> got placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there
??>> for a while, but started getting smaller, now it is almost
??>> nothing.
??>>
??>> What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment
??>> that appears to stay the same?

As many people have said the cause is sublimation. Have you ever
examined the ice-cube tray after a vacation? It will probably be
quite apparent that the cubes are smaller than when you went
away.


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On Mar 18, 5:20*am, wrote:
> I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
> storage got high and a single ice cube got
> placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
> but started getting smaller, now it is
> almost nothing.
>
> What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
> stay the same?

What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that
appears to stay the same?

Ice Mites - Small, almost invisible creatures with constant teething
problems. By eating the stray ice cubes that end up outside of the
storage bin, they keep their gums numb. It's a survival instinct - if
they didn't numb their gums, there would be this constant moaning from
your freezer, resulting in detection and probable elimination.

In desparate cases, when the ice cubes are removed by the human on a
regular basis (resulting in few, if any, strays) the mites have been
known to use their ice grabbing tenticles to create a small hole in
freezer bags, allowing in just enough moisture for frost to form on
the stored object. This gives them another source of ice to numb their
gums.

"DerbyDad03" > wrote in message
...
On Mar 18, 5:20 am, wrote:
> I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
> storage got high and a single ice cube got
> placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
> but started getting smaller, now it is
> almost nothing.
>
> What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
> stay the same?

What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that
appears to stay the same?

Ice Mites - Small, almost invisible creatures with constant teething
problems. By eating the stray ice cubes that end up outside of the
storage bin, they keep their gums numb. It's a survival instinct - if
they didn't numb their gums, there would be this constant moaning from
your freezer, resulting in detection and probable elimination.

In desparate cases, when the ice cubes are removed by the human on a
regular basis (resulting in few, if any, strays) the mites have been
known to use their ice grabbing tenticles to create a small hole in
freezer bags, allowing in just enough moisture for frost to form on
the stored object. This gives them another source of ice to numb their
gums.

===================

They don't want us to know about this mite issue.

They. You know who they are. Them. The same "they" who own the patent for an
engine that develops 400 horsepower and gets 85 mpg.

On Mar 18, 5:47*am, "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote:
> > wrote in message
>
> Sublimation. Evaporation from the dryer air around it. Happens to snow also.


The same process keeps your freezer "frost free".

wrote:
> I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
> storage got high and a single ice cube got
> placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
> but started getting smaller, now it is
> almost nothing.
>
> What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
> stay the same?


It's either due to sublimation or the cube is resting near
an area that heats up in the self-defrosting cycle.

gloria p

"James Silverton" > wrote

> As many people have said the cause is sublimation. Have you ever examined
> the ice-cube tray after a vacation? It will probably be quite apparent
> that the cubes are smaller than when you went away.
>

My inlaws didn't use ice cubes. Before going over there for whatever
occasion, I'd remind them to refill the trays. It would be very
disappointing to go for dinner and find tiny little dehydrated cubes.

nancy

In article
>,
wrote:

> I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
> storage got high and a single ice cube got
> placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
> but started getting smaller, now it is
> almost nothing.
>
> What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
> stay the same?

Other's have addressed your concern, but since you brought up ice cubes,
maybe I can hijack the thread for a moment and invite speculation on an
odd experience I had many years ago.

In a standard plastic ice cube tray in my freezer, one of the cubes grew
a vertical icicle. Probably 1/2" to 3/4" long, and perfectly icicle
shaped, i.e., a long, narrow, pointed shape, roughly symmetrical but
with typical irregularities.

I did keep it, but sublimation apparently ate it up after about a week.
Never seen it happen again, and never heard of it happening to anyone
else.

On Mar 18, 9:49*am, DerbyDad03 > wrote:

>
> In desparate cases, when the ice cubes are removed by the human on a
> regular basis (resulting in few, if any, strays) the mites have been
> known to use their ice grabbing tenticles to create a small hole in
> freezer bags, allowing in just enough moisture for frost to form on
> the stored object. This gives them another source of ice to numb their
> gums.

On this note, it's been observed that if you want to freeze meat or
fish or shrimp and have it be just as good months later, a good
technique is to put the food in a ziplock bag and then fill the bag
full of water before zipping the bag shut. Freezer burn is due to
sublimation of the water in the food, and by the method just
described, the added water does the sublimating rather than the food.

I tried this trick with same-day shrimp acquired in South Carolina in
June, and I thawed the last 2-lb bag for dinner in January, and it
tasted just like the shrimp cooked the first day.

PD

On Mar 18, 11:55*am, Smitty Two > wrote:
> In article
> >,
>
> wrote:
> > I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
> > storage got high and a single ice cube got
> > placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
> > but started getting smaller, now it is
> > almost nothing.
>
> > What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
> > stay the same?
>
> Other's have addressed your concern, but since you brought up ice cubes,
> maybe I can hijack the thread for a moment and invite speculation on an
> odd experience I had many years ago.
>
> In a standard plastic ice cube tray in my freezer, one of the cubes grew
> a vertical icicle. Probably 1/2" to 3/4" long, and perfectly icicle
> shaped, i.e., a long, narrow, pointed shape, roughly symmetrical but
> with typical irregularities.
>
> I did keep it, but sublimation apparently ate it up after about a week.
> Never seen it happen again, and never heard of it happening to anyone
> else.

http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/s.../icespikes.htm

What's an 'ice cube tray' ? <G>

s


"James Silverton" > wrote in message
news:L4QDj.12753$hP3.1528@trnddc02...
>
> As many people have said the cause is sublimation. Have you ever examined
> the ice-cube tray after a vacation? It will probably be quite apparent
> that the cubes are smaller than when you went away.
>
>
> James Silverton
> Potomac, Maryland
>
> E-mail, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Smitty Two > writes:

> In article
> >,
> wrote:
>
>> I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
>> storage got high and a single ice cube got
>> placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
>> but started getting smaller, now it is
>> almost nothing.
>>
>> What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
>> stay the same?
>
> Other's have addressed your concern, but since you brought up ice cubes,
> maybe I can hijack the thread for a moment and invite speculation on an
> odd experience I had many years ago.
>
> In a standard plastic ice cube tray in my freezer, one of the cubes grew
> a vertical icicle. Probably 1/2" to 3/4" long, and perfectly icicle
> shaped, i.e., a long, narrow, pointed shape, roughly symmetrical but
> with typical irregularities.
>
> I did keep it, but sublimation apparently ate it up after about a week.
> Never seen it happen again, and never heard of it happening to anyone
> else.

http://au.answers.yahoo.com/answers2...8191515AARSEiP

In article
>,
Smitty Two > wrote:

> In article
> >,
> wrote:
>
> > I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
> > storage got high and a single ice cube got
> > placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
> > but started getting smaller, now it is
> > almost nothing.
> >
> > What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
> > stay the same?
>
> Other's have addressed your concern, but since you brought up ice cubes,
> maybe I can hijack the thread for a moment and invite speculation on an
> odd experience I had many years ago.
>
> In a standard plastic ice cube tray in my freezer, one of the cubes grew
> a vertical icicle. Probably 1/2" to 3/4" long, and perfectly icicle
> shaped, i.e., a long, narrow, pointed shape, roughly symmetrical but
> with typical irregularities.
>
> I did keep it, but sublimation apparently ate it up after about a week.
> Never seen it happen again, and never heard of it happening to anyone
> else.

***{The same question was raised last year at about this time. That
post, including my response, is copied below. --MJ}***

In article .com>,
"Paul Cardinale" > wrote:

> On Mar 19, 4:11 pm, Dan > wrote:
> > My brother was making ice cubes in my fridge for 1792 (Whiskey). One
> > cube grew an upward rod that ended in a point, about an inch high. My
> > brother likes to see things like this as signs that our dead dog is
> > sending a signal, but I told him it probably has something to do with
> > impurities in the water. Can someone explain this?
> >
> > Dan
>
> Yes. The explanation as to why your brother sees things that way is:
> he is a woo-woo.

***{I've seen those spikes myself. They rise up out of the centers of
ice cubes. The likely reason is that the cube freezes from the outside
in. That means there is a reservoir of liquid in the center of the cube
as the outside freezes. Since water expands as it freezes, the liquid in
the center gets squeezed tighter and tighter, and eventually pushes out
through the point of least resistance. That point is usually at the top
of the cube in the center. Only in that way can the pressure be
relieved. Naturally, as water oozes out, it freezes around the edges of
the opening so formed. Result: a little volcano type of structure arises
there. That's how the spikes are formed. --MJ}***

************************************************** ***************
If I seem to be ignoring you, consider the possibility
that you are in my killfile. --MJ

wrote:
>
> I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker.

Eco-terrorist. Each of your ice cubes obtained through the death of a
Third World baby.

> The automatic ice maker
> storage got high

Baggie your weed adn wrap in aluminum foil before freezing.

> and a single ice cube got
> placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
> but started getting smaller, now it is
> almost nothing.
>
> What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
> stay the same?

Frost-free freezer. Look it up.
Never store peroxydicarbonate free radical initiators in a certified
chemical refigerator frost-free freezer - they explode.

--
Uncle Al
http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/
(Toxic URL! Unsafe for children and most mammals)
http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/lajos.htm#a2

On 2008-03-18, Brawny > wrote:

> The same process keeps your freezer "frost free".

Not really.

Your freezer remains frost free due to a mechanical process. The defrost
timer completely cuts off the refrigeration unit at regular intervals and
then a fan comes on and blows above-freezing-air from the refrigerator
compartment across the freezer coil vanes which melts the accumulated frost.
This happens for about a 15-30 min period every 12-24 hrs (depending on
make/model). Defroster timer failure is the most common cause of
refrigerator malfunctions. It's an easy fix. Just replace the timer, which
is usually a plug-in module for easy swap out.

nb

On 2008-03-18, PeterD > wrote:

> environment is not 'stay the same'. The defrost cycle, done on a daily
> basis raises the temperature of the freezer some and things in certain
> locations where not well cooled can approach freezing temperatures.

Oops. I answered before I read your post, Peter.

nb

Smitty Two wrote:

>
>
> I did keep it, but sublimation apparently ate it up after about a week.
> Never seen it happen again, and never heard of it happening to anyone
> else.

It has happened to me. I have no idea how it happened.

S. wrote on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:20:09 -0500:

SB>What's an 'ice cube tray' ? <G>



Huh! Are you implying that your fridge has a cube maker and
people who use trays are old-fashioned? I made a conscious
decision to get what I thought I needed.


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

"PD" > wrote in message news:0c317556-ef20-4517-9b1d-
>On this note, it's been observed that if you want to freeze meat or
>fish or shrimp and have it be just as good months later, a good
>technique is to put the food in a ziplock bag and then fill the bag
>full of water before zipping the bag shut. Freezer burn is due to
>sublimation of the water in the food, and by the method just
>described, the added water does the sublimating rather than the food.

>I tried this trick with same-day shrimp acquired in South Carolina in
>June, and I thawed the last 2-lb bag for dinner in January, and it
>tasted just like the shrimp cooked the first day.

Or, freeze each item solidly, then dip them in ice water to coat them well.
Repeat as needed. Then re-freeze them and put them in zip lock bags. This makes
it easier to get out one or two pieces.

On 2008-03-18, PD > wrote:

> described, the added water does the sublimating rather than the food.
>
> I tried this trick with same-day shrimp acquired in South Carolina in
> June, and I thawed the last 2-lb bag for dinner in January, and it
> tasted just like the shrimp cooked the first day.

I agree. Used to be able to buy 4lb of shrimp in blocks of ice. It would
keep almost forever and taste nearly fresh upon melting. These newer
packaging methods using flash freezing are already somewhat mummified right
out of the market. Nowhere near the moisture and freshness. This also
works for fish you catch yourself. Put in topless milk cartons full of
water and freeze. The meat retains it's firmness and moisture. I never
tried this with other than fish or seafood. I'm not sure it would work too
well with herd animal flesh. Maybe.

nb

Nancy Young wrote:
> "James Silverton" > wrote
>
>> As many people have said the cause is sublimation. Have you ever examined
>> the ice-cube tray after a vacation? It will probably be quite apparent
>> that the cubes are smaller than when you went away.
>>
>
> My inlaws didn't use ice cubes. Before going over there for whatever
> occasion, I'd remind them to refill the trays. It would be very
> disappointing to go for dinner and find tiny little dehydrated cubes.

We don't use ice cubes, either. It annoys some guests. I try to
remember to make ice if we're going to have people over, but we have
a lot of drop-in guests, and I don't use our scarce freezer space
for something we don't usually use.

(When I'm going to make ice cream, I run to the corner liquor store
and buy a bag of ice.)

Serene

"James Silverton" > wrote in message
news:ipUDj.6595$%Y2.5887@trnddc08...
> S. wrote on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:20:09 -0500:
>
> SB>What's an 'ice cube tray' ? <G>
>
>
>
> Huh! Are you implying that your fridge has a cube maker and people who
> use trays are old-fashioned? I made a conscious decision to get what I
> thought I needed.
>
>
> James Silverton
> Potomac, Maryland

Good for you. I can't imagine life without an ice maker, especially after
having kids that never filled the trays. I'm willing to pay for modern
conveniences.

> wrote in message
...
>I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
> storage got high and a single ice cube got
> placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
> but started getting smaller, now it is
> almost nothing.
>
> What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
> stay the same?

It's slowly making its way to wherever it is orphan socks go.

wrote:
> I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
> storage got high and a single ice cube got
> placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
> but started getting smaller, now it is
> almost nothing.
>
> What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
> stay the same?
>
You've gotten some good answers. I asked a while back why a glass filled
with ice and water added doesn't overflow when the ice melts if you don't
drink any of the water I can't for the life of me remember the answer
and am too lazy to Google for it. It just seemed a curious thing to me.

Jill

On Mar 18, 6:21*pm, "jmcquown" > wrote:
> wrote:
> > I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
> > storage got high and a single ice cube got
> > placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
> > but started getting smaller, now it is
> > almost nothing.
>
> > What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
> > stay the same?
>
> You've gotten some good answers. *I asked a while back why a glass filled
> with ice and water added doesn't overflow when the ice melts if you don't
> drink any of the water *I can't for the life of me remember the answer
> and am too lazy to Google for it. *It just seemed a curious thing to me.

And the answer is that because ice is less dense than water, the
volume of the ice when it melts (into water) becomes exactly equal to
the volume under the waterline of the icecubes. This is in fact the
discovery that Archimedes made a few years back.

PD

Had a home for sale with a ice maker that sat vacant for several
months, a idiot home inspector wrote up mal formed ice cubes from
maker, because they had sublimiated away. true what was left of the
cubes looked wierd.

the deal fell thru buyer said your home has too many troubles.

On Mar 18, 7:30*pm, PD > wrote:
> On Mar 18, 6:21*pm, "jmcquown" > wrote:
>
> > wrote:
> > > I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
> > > storage got high and a single ice cube got
> > > placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
> > > but started getting smaller, now it is
> > > almost nothing.
>
> > > What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
> > > stay the same?
>
> > You've gotten some good answers. *I asked a while back why a glass filled
> > with ice and water added doesn't overflow when the ice melts if you don't
> > drink any of the water *I can't for the life of me remember the answer
> > and am too lazy to Google for it. *It just seemed a curious thing to me.
>
> And the answer is that because ice is less dense than water, the
> volume of the ice when it melts (into water) becomes exactly equal to
> the volume under the waterline of the icecubes. This is in fact the
> discovery that Archimedes made a few years back.
>
> PD

I used to know a lot of facts about Archimedes but something seems to
have displaced that knowledge.

jmcquown wrote:

> You've gotten some good answers. I asked a while back why a glass filled
> with ice and water added doesn't overflow when the ice melts if you don't
> drink any of the water I can't for the life of me remember the answer
> and am too lazy to Google for it. It just seemed a curious thing to me.

There is a similar question about a boat full of iron ore sinking in a canal
lock. The water level does not change because floating objects displace water
equivalent to their weight.

DerbyDad03 wrote:

>
> I used to know a lot of facts about Archimedes but something seems to
> have displaced that knowledge.



Do you suppose it's due to too many baths?

gloria p

jmcquown wrote:
>
> You've gotten some good answers. I asked a while back why a glass filled
> with ice and water added doesn't overflow when the ice melts if you don't
> drink any of the water I can't for the life of me remember the answer
> and am too lazy to Google for it. It just seemed a curious thing to me.

It's because ice is a form of salt, and salt absorbs
any excess water. Or something like that. :-)

Dave Smith > writes:

> jmcquown wrote:
>
>> You've gotten some good answers. I asked a while back why a glass filled
>> with ice and water added doesn't overflow when the ice melts if you don't
>> drink any of the water I can't for the life of me remember the answer
>> and am too lazy to Google for it. It just seemed a curious thing to me.
>
> There is a similar question about a boat full of iron ore sinking in a canal
> lock. The water level does not change because floating objects displace water
> equivalent to their weight.

True, but beyond that, most things expand as they
melt.

Ice is one of the few solids that is less dense in
solid form than liquid form.

And that's a good thing, otherwise, lakes and oceans would
freeze from the bottom up.

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
>>
> You've gotten some good answers. I asked a while back why a glass filled
> with ice and water added doesn't overflow when the ice melts if you don't
> drink any of the water I can't for the life of me remember the answer
> and am too lazy to Google for it. It just seemed a curious thing to me.
>
> Jill

Most thing shrink when frozen. Water expands when it freezes and can exert a
lot of pressure. Thusly, when ice melts the volume decreases.

James Silverton wrote:
> S. wrote on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:12:23 -0500:
>
> SB> http://www.wonderquest.com/ice-sublime.htm
>
> SB> sublimation
>
> SB> > wrote in message
> SB>
> ...
> ??>> I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic
> ??>> ice maker storage got high and a single ice cube
> ??>> got placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there
> ??>> for a while, but started getting smaller, now it is almost
> ??>> nothing.
> ??>>
> ??>> What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment
> ??>> that appears to stay the same?
>
> As many people have said the cause is sublimation. Have you ever
> examined the ice-cube tray after a vacation? It will probably be
> quite apparent that the cubes are smaller than when you went
> away.

Yea that's true

Guess I haven't used ice trays for a while, I was thinking of making
some juice or maybe root beer cubes when it gets warmer though.

> James Silverton
> Potomac, Maryland
>
> E-mail, with obvious alterations:
> not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Brawny wrote:
> On Mar 18, 5:47�am, "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote:
> > > wrote in message
> >
> > Sublimation. Evaporation from the dryer air around it. Happens to snow also.
>
>
> The same process keeps your freezer "frost free".

Some of the apartments I lived in was opposite the case, you had to
defrost about every three months

Reminds me spring time is a good time to pull out and defurr the the
fridge.

On Tue, 18 Mar 2008 02:20:39 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

>I have a fridge\freezer with an ice maker. The automatic ice maker
>storage got high and a single ice cube got
>placed behind the large storage tray, it has sat there for a while,
>but started getting smaller, now it is
>almost nothing.
>
>What causes this cube to get smaller in an environment that appears to
>stay the same?

When I had roommates, it used to annoy me how they would fail to fill
up the ice cube trays after they used ice.

Eventually I got down to no roommates, but still they came in and used
my ice.

Eventually I figured out that the ice was sublimating, going from
solid to gas without passing through a liquid state. It happens
whenever there is air above the ice, and if you don't use your ice for
weeks or months like me, it's very noticeable.

They make some ice-cube trays that are bottles with caps. I tried one
and it worked but the cubes were little balls, and too small.