Why Is There a Spike in My Ice Cube? The Viral Ice Spike Explained
May 22, 2025
Source: Veritasium/Youtube
When you pull an ice tray out of the freezer and see a strange spike rising from one of the cubes, it’s easy to think it’s just a fluke. But this odd formation has a name — an ice spike — and there’s actual science behind why it happens. It’s a curious reminder that even something as ordinary as freezing water can surprise us.
What Is an Ice Spike?
An ice spike is exactly what it sounds like — a narrow, sometimes sharp protrusion that sticks out of an otherwise normal ice cube. You’ll usually find them shooting up from the center of a cube, almost like a tiny frozen geyser. While they’re not extremely common, they do occur often enough to make people do a double take.
If you’ve ever asked, “Why does ice sometimes freeze with spikes?”, you’re not alone.
How Do Ice Spikes Form?
The phenomenon of ice spikes has been studied, most notably by physicist Dr. Kenneth G. Libbrecht and featured in a video by Veritasium — a science channel known for breaking down everyday curiosities.
Here’s how it works in simple terms:
- Freezing Starts From the Outside In: As water begins to freeze in an ice tray, the outer edges solidify first.
- Water Is Trapped in the Middle: As the top layer forms a crust, liquid water remains underneath. Water expands as it freezes, and that expansion forces the liquid upward.
- The Perfect Crack: If there’s a tiny hole or weak spot in the surface ice, that trapped water gets pushed out through it.
- Instant Freeze: As that water exits, the cold air quickly freezes it, forming a thin tube of ice — a spike.
This process can continue for a while, sometimes creating spikes that are over an inch tall. It all happens naturally, no external force required.
Conditions That Make Ice Spikes More Likely
You might wonder why this doesn’t happen every time you make ice. Several specific conditions contribute to spike formation:
- Purity of Water: Distilled water increases your chances. Impurities can interfere with the uniform freezing process.
- Still Air: Vibrations or moving air can disrupt the delicate pressure buildup needed.
- Temperature: A steady freezing environment around –7°C (19°F) is ideal.
- Shape of Ice Tray: Trays with narrower compartments seem to produce more spikes.
So if you’re hoping to recreate this at home, try using distilled water in a cold, quiet freezer and avoid disturbing the tray while it freezes.
See the full explanation in this video:
The Beauty of Everyday Science
There’s something magical about discovering that the freezer in your kitchen is a mini-laboratory. Ice spikes are a wonderful example of how ordinary items can show off the elegance of physics — without any fancy equipment.
When Veritasium featured this topic in their video, it not only explained the process but also reignited people’s curiosity. And that’s what makes this tiny phenomenon worth appreciating. It reminds us that even ice can spike our sense of wonder.