True or False? The Most Enduring Myths About Snow and Ice

Ice is Slippery Because It's Wet: Debunking the Slick Myth

A popular myth suggests that ice is slippery because it has a thin layer of water on its surface. While partially true, recent studies have shown that the slipperiness of ice is more complex. The pressure and friction exerted by an object on ice can cause a thin layer of water to form, but this is not the sole reason for its slipperiness. The unique molecular structure of ice also allows for a quasi-liquid layer on its surface, even at temperatures below freezing. This layer, along with pressure-induced melting, contributes to the slippery nature of ice, debunking the simplistic "wet ice" explanation.