We all know that water freezes at 0°C. But does it freeze harder at lower temps?

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My freezer is set at -21°C (-6°F) and tubs of ice cream come out hard as a rock and are near impossible to scoop. But if I set it a few degrees warmer, yet still way below the freezing point of water, I can scoop it easily. So, is there such a thing as both frozen and *really* frozen? Conversely, a boiling point is a boiling point, I believe. Heating water to a temp above 100°C gets you the same steam that you got at 100, just faster. Right?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

The character of ice changes as it gets chilled well below the freezing point of water. I used to do a lot of ice carvings for fancy buffets. When the 300 pound carving block arrives it is chilled to near zero degrees F. way below the melt/freeze point of water. It is extremely brittle and cannot be carved without shattering until it is allowed to “temper” at close to the melting point.

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