The solid phase of water is called ice, that is, when it is frozen, this is one of the three natural states with which it is possible to find water. This is distinguished from the other two states by various characteristics, among them are the temperature, which is much lower than any of the other two phases, its snowy white color, its buoyancy, etc. Water in its highest state can freeze at 0 ° C when it is subjected to an atmosphere of pressure. Other names by which it is possible to describe water in its solid state are snow, frost and hail. For its part, the etymological origin of the term comes from the Latin “gelum”.
This element occurs in 12 different crystalline phases. At the normal pressures that occur in the terrestrial environment, the stable phase is called phase I with respect to Tamman's terminology. At this stage there are two variants related to each other, which are: hexagonal ice, called Ih, and cubic ice or also Ic. For its part, the hexagonal is the most frequent phase, and therefore the best known: its hexagonal structure can be observed in ice crystals, which generally have a hexagonal base. Whereas cubic ice Ic is obtained by deposition of water vapor at temperatures below –130 ° C, reasonfor which it is less frequent; however, at about –38 ° C and 200 MPa pressure, a situation to be expected in the polar caps, both structures are in thermodynamic equilibrium.
On the other hand, there is also the so-called blue ice, this is the one that is formed when snow is deposited on glaciers, where it is compressed and becomes part of it and then drag it to a body of water. During this movement, the air bubbles that were trapped in the ice are expelled and the ice crystals increase in size.
On the other hand, in daily life, it is very common for people to use ice in various situations, especially in times when the heat is intense and the need to ingest cold substances is much greater.
