Why does ice make that crinkle sound when put in a cup of water?

Question

Why does ice make that crinkle sound when put in a cup of water?

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

Ice is brittle, so it breaks under stress. When you put ice in water, the outside warms up to 0°C, while the inside remains, for a while at least, at the temperature of your freezer (~-18°C). This means that the outside expands, putting the inside under strong tension – too much tension for the ice’s quite weak structure, so it cracks.