Frost vs. Ice

By Jaxson

Main Difference

The main difference between Frost and Ice is that the Frost is a coating or deposit of ice that may form in humid air in cold conditions, usually overnight and Ice is a water frozen into the solid state.

  • Frost

    Frost is a thin layer of ice on a solid surface, which forms from water vapor in an above freezing atmosphere coming in contact with a solid surface whose temperature is below freezing, and resulting in a phase change from water vapor (a gas) to ice (a solid) as the water vapor reaches the freezing point. In temperate climates, it most commonly appears on surfaces near the ground as fragile white crystals; in cold climates, it occurs in a greater variety of forms. The propagation of crystal formation occurs by the process of nucleation.

    The ice crystals of frost form as the result of fractal process development. The depth of frost crystals varies depending on the amount of time they have been accumulating, and the concentration of the water vapor (humidity). Frost crystals may be invisible (black), clear (translucent), or white; if a mass of frost crystals scatters light in all directions, the coating of frost appears white.

    Types of frost include crystalline frost (hoar frost, hoarfrost, radiation frost) from deposition of water vapor from air of low humidity, white frost in humid conditions, window frost on glass surfaces, advection frost from cold wind over cold surfaces, black frost without visible ice at low temperatures and very low humidity, and rime under supercooled wet conditions.Plants that have evolved in warmer climates suffer damage when the temperature falls low enough to freeze the water in the cells that make up the plant tissue. The tissue damage resulting from this process is known as “frost damage”. Farmers in those regions where frost damage is known to affect their crops often invest in substantial means to protect their crops from such damage.

  • Ice

    Ice is water frozen into a solid state. Depending on the presence of impurities such as particles of soil or bubbles of air, it can appear transparent or a more or less opaque bluish-white color.

    In the Solar System, ice is abundant and occurs naturally from as close to the Sun as Mercury to as far away as the Oort cloud objects. Beyond the Solar System, it occurs as interstellar ice. It is abundant on Earth’s surface – particularly in the polar regions and above the snow line – and, as a common form of precipitation and deposition, plays a key role in Earth’s water cycle and climate. It falls as snowflakes and hail or occurs as frost, icicles or ice spikes.

    Ice molecules can exhibit eighteen or more different phases (packing geometries) that depend on temperature and pressure. When water is cooled rapidly (quenching), up to three different types of amorphous ice can form depending on the history of its pressure and temperature. When cooled slowly correlated proton tunneling occurs below −253.15 °C (20 K, −423.67 °F) giving rise to macroscopic quantum phenomena. Virtually all the ice on Earth’s surface and in its atmosphere is of a hexagonal crystalline structure denoted as ice Ih (spoken as “ice one h”) with minute traces of cubic ice denoted as ice Ic. The most common phase transition to ice Ih occurs when liquid water is cooled below 0 °C (273.15 K, 32 °F) at standard atmospheric pressure. It may also be deposited directly by water vapor, as happens in the formation of frost. The transition from ice to water is melting and from ice directly to water vapor is sublimation.

    Ice is used in a variety of ways, including cooling, winter sports and ice sculpture.

Wikipedia
  • Frost (noun)

    A cover of minute ice crystals on objects that are exposed to the air. Frost is formed by the same process as dew, except that the temperature of the frosted object is below freezing.

  • Frost (noun)

    The cold weather that causes these ice crystals to form.

  • Frost (noun)

    Coldness or insensibility; severity or rigidity of character.

  • Frost (noun)

    The act of freezing; the congelation of water or other liquid.

  • Frost (noun)

    A shade of white, like that of frost.

    “color panel|ECFCFC”

  • Frost (noun)

    A disappointment; a cheat.

  • Frost (verb)

    To cover with frost.

  • Frost (verb)

    To become covered with frost.

  • Frost (verb)

    To coat (something, e.g. a cake) with icing to resemble frost.

  • Frost (verb)

    To anger or annoy.

    “I think the boss’s decision frosted him a bit.”

  • Frost (verb)

    To sharpen (the points of a horse’s shoe) to prevent it from slipping on ice.

  • Ice (noun)

    Water in frozen (solid) form.

  • Ice (noun)

    Covering made of frozen water on a river or other water basin in cold season.

  • Ice (noun)

    Any frozen volatile chemical, such as ammonia or carbon dioxide.

  • Ice (noun)

    Any volatile chemical, such as water, ammonia, or carbon dioxide, not necessarily in solid form.

  • Ice (noun)

    A frozen dessert made of fruit juice, water and sugar.

  • Ice (noun)

    Any substance having the appearance of ice.

  • Ice (noun)

    One or more diamonds.

  • Ice (noun)

    Crystal form of amphetamine-based drugs.

  • Ice (noun)

    The area where a game of ice hockey is played.

  • Ice (verb)

    To cool with ice, as a beverage.

  • Ice (verb)

    To become ice, to freeze.

  • Ice (verb)

    To murder.

  • Ice (verb)

    To cover with icing (frosting made of sugar and milk or white of egg); to frost; as cakes, tarts, etc.

  • Ice (verb)

    To put out a team for a match.

    “Milton Keynes have yet to ice a team this season”

  • Ice (verb)

    To shoot the puck the length of the playing surface, causing a stoppage in play called icing.

    “If the Bruins ice the puck, the faceoff will be in their own zone.”

Wiktionary
  • Frost (noun)

    a deposit of small white ice crystals formed on the ground or other surfaces when the temperature falls below freezing

    “the lanes were glistening with frost”

    “it is not unusual for buds to be nipped by frost”

  • Frost (noun)

    a weather condition or period of cold weather in which deposits of frost form

    “there have been several sharp frosts recently”

    “following two or three nights of hard frost, my garden is a wreck”

  • Frost (noun)

    a person’s cold or unfriendly manner

    “Caroline was shocked to hear the frost in her brother’s voice”

  • Frost (noun)

    a failure

    “even the state soirées were a frost”

  • Frost (verb)

    cover (something) with or as if with frost; freeze

    “shop windows were still frosted over”

  • Frost (verb)

    become covered with small ice crystals

    “no one has managed to stop outdoor heat exchangers frosting up during winter”

  • Frost (verb)

    damage or otherwise affect as a result of frost.

  • Frost (verb)

    decorate (a cake or biscuit) with icing

    “the cake Mama had just frosted”

  • Ice (noun)

    an entry stored in a person’s mobile phone that provides emergency contact information

    “all mobile phone users should have an ICE contact in their phones”

  • Ice (verb)

    decorate (a cake or biscuit) with icing.

  • Ice (verb)

    clinch (something such as a victory or deal).

  • Ice (verb)

    kill

    “she was saved from being iced by the mafia”

Oxford Dictionary

Leave a Comment