Can you make these Water Spikes?

Here’s something to do for National Science and Engineering Week 2007! Now before we start I have a confession. I tried this out and it didn’t work. Distilled water yes, freezer at minus 11.5 degrees C hmmmm, maybe (didn’t measure it at the time). So I am throwing down the gauntlet to anyone who wants to give it a go. Send me a photo of your ice spike with your face and first name on a piece of paper next to it. Just so that I have proof y’understand – yes those Google Images are soooo useful at times aren’t they? All those entering will be put in a draw for a pack of AQA GCSE Sciences Flashcards courtesy of Hodder Murray (www.hoddereducation.co.uk) and a 100 baht snack card.

You will need:

Distilled water (you can get this from a petrol station)
Ice cube tray
Freezer

What to do:

Fill the ice cube tray with distilled water.
Place in a freezer whose air temperature is at least -11.5 degrees C.
Leave for an hour and a half.
You should see a short spike of ice protruding from each cube.

What’s going on?

The short explanation is this: as the ice freezes fast under supercooled conditions, the surface can get covered except for a small hole. Water expands when it freezes. As freezing continues, the expanding ice under the surface forces the remaining water up through the hole and it freezes around the edge forming a hollow spike. Eventually, the whole thing freezes and the spike is left.
But you may find fuller explanations in the following websites:

You, too, can grow ice-cube spikes in your own freezer!

Ice Spikes

Got Spikes on Your Ice Cubes?

See video

Diagram of how spikes are formed

The draw will take place at 5pm on Wednesday 21st March.