Lena Savoie
Alcohol has a much lower freezing point than water. Water freezes at 32°F (0°C), while pure ethanol (the type of alcohol humans consume) freezes at -173°F (-114°C). This significant difference is due to the distinct behaviours of water and ethanol molecules. Water molecules are more attracted to each other, or stickier, than ethanol molecules, owing to their higher polarity and ability to form stronger hydrogen bonds. Consequently, water molecules more readily get stuck and freeze at a higher temperature than ethanol, which requires a much lower temperature to solidify.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Freezing point of water | 0°C or 32°F |
| Freezing point of ethanol | -114°C or -173.5°F to -174.6°F |
| Freezing point of vodka | Around -35°C |
| Freezing point of whiskey | Below -15°C |
| Freezing point of beer | 28°F |
| Freezing point of wine | Varies, but below 0°C |
| Freezing point of cider | Below 0°C |
| Freezing point of Bacardi 151 | -48°C or -55°F |
| Freezing point of 60-proof alcohol | Below -18°C |
| Freezing point of 50-proof alcohol | Above -18°C |
| Freezing point of 40-proof alcohol | Above -18°C |
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What You'll Learn
Water has a freezing point of 0°C
The "stickiness" of water molecules makes it easier for them to get "stuck" and freeze. The molecules of water are bound more tightly to each other than the molecules of ethanol. This is because water is a highly polar molecule, meaning it moves charge around inside the molecule very strongly. This polarity is what allows water to form hydrogen bonds with other water molecules.
Ethanol, on the other hand, is an organic, non-polar compound, and therefore cannot make strong hydrogen bonds. This results in weak intermolecular forces, which means the ethanol molecules refuse to cooperate and join together. This leads to the compound having higher energy, and therefore requiring a much lower temperature to solidify.
The freezing point of pure ethanol alcohol is around -114°C, which is much colder than the average person will encounter. However, alcoholic beverages are a mixture of both alcohol and water, which puts their freezing point somewhere in between. The exact freezing point depends on the alcohol by volume (ABV or proof), with lower ABV leading to a higher freezing point and quicker freezing.
It is worth noting that while pure water freezes at 0°C, once it is purified it can be mixed with other substances and frozen at higher temperatures. For example, one method involves dissolving agar or another gelatin in purified water, then adding sodium metabisulfite and alcohol. This mixture will freeze at around 24.8°C.
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Ethanol freezes at -114°C
Pure ethanol, the type of alcohol that people drink, freezes at around -114°C. This is much colder than temperatures that people typically encounter in their day-to-day lives. For context, the freezing point of water is 0°C.
The reason for the difference in freezing points between water and ethanol is due to their differing intermolecular forces. Water molecules are more attracted to each other than ethanol molecules because water has more hydrogen atoms bonded to oxygen. Hydrogen bonded to oxygen is more attractive than carbon bonded to oxygen, so water molecules are "stickier" than ethanol molecules. This makes it easier for water molecules to get "stuck" and freeze. Since ethanol molecules are less sticky, the temperature must be much lower for the forces of attraction to overcome the energy of motion and fix the molecules into their array sites.
The polarity of a molecule also influences its freezing point. Water is a highly polar molecule, meaning it moves charges around inside the molecule very strongly. This polarity causes unusual reactions. Ethanol, on the other hand, has low polarity because the oxygen atom is connected to a carbon atom, which reduces the polarity of the oxygen. The more polar a molecule is, the stronger its attractive forces. Therefore, the lower polarity of ethanol contributes to its lower freezing point.
The freezing point of ethanol solutions varies depending on the concentration of ethanol. For example, vodka, a 40% ethanol solution, freezes at -23°C, while a typical beer with 5% ethanol freezes at about -2°C.
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Water molecules are more attracted to each other
Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius), while the freezing point of pure ethanol alcohol is much lower, at -173 degrees Fahrenheit (-114 degrees Celsius). This means that to freeze alcohol, the temperature must be dropped below -100 degrees Celsius.
The difference in freezing points between water and ethanol can be attributed to the distinct strengths of intermolecular forces between their molecules. Water molecules are more attracted to each other than ethanol molecules. This is due to the polarity of the molecules, which is influenced by the number of hydrogen atoms bonded to oxygen. Water has more hydrogen atoms bonded to oxygen than ethanol, resulting in a higher polarity. The oxygen atom in water is highly electronegative, attracting electrons from the hydrogen atoms and creating a dipole. This allows water molecules to form hydrogen bonds with each other, which are stronger than the bonds formed by ethanol molecules.
The polarity of a molecule refers to the distribution of negative and positive charges within it. Water molecules are highly polar, meaning they have a strong separation of charges. This polarity arises from the electronegativity of oxygen, which pulls electrons away from the hydrogen atoms, resulting in a partially negative charge near the oxygen atom and a partially positive charge near the hydrogen atom. These partial charges enable water molecules to form hydrogen bonds with each other.
In contrast, ethanol is an organic, non-polar compound. The polarity of ethanol is reduced because the oxygen atom is connected to a carbon atom. As a result, ethanol molecules have weaker intermolecular forces and are less attracted to each other compared to water molecules. This leads to a higher energy state for ethanol, requiring much lower temperatures to solidify.
The freezing point of a substance is influenced by the strength of the attractive forces between its molecules. A substance with molecules that are strongly attracted to each other will freeze at a higher temperature than a substance with molecules that are less attracted. This principle explains why water, with its strong intermolecular forces, freezes at a higher temperature than ethanol.
Additionally, the freezing behaviour of water is unique compared to other liquids. Water is a polar molecule that exhibits unusual reactions. For example, ice floats on water, which is uncommon as typically, the solid form of a substance is denser than its liquid form. The polarity of water also contributes to its high freezing point.
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Ethanol is an organic, non-polar compound
Alcohol has a much lower freezing point than water. Water freezes at 0°C, while ethanol, the type of alcohol humans drink, freezes at around -114°C. This is because ethanol is an organic, non-polar compound.
Ethanol is an organic compound, which means it contains carbon atoms. Each ethanol molecule has two carbon atoms, and each carbon atom can make three more bonds. The first carbon atom has three hydrogen bonds, while the second has two hydrogen bonds and one alcohol (-OH) group attached. The -OH group forms hydrogen bonds between ethanol molecules.
However, the oxygen atom in ethanol is also connected to a carbon atom, which reduces the polarity of the oxygen. Polarity refers to the amount of negative or positive charge that an atom possesses in a neutral molecule. The more polar the atoms in a molecule, the more polar the molecule becomes. In ethanol, the polarity of the oxygen atom is reduced because it is connected to a carbon atom, which has a weaker electronegative pull than oxygen. This results in ethanol having a partial dipole in its chemical structure, with only one dipole as opposed to water's two.
The partial dipole in ethanol's structure makes it less "sticky" than water molecules. Water molecules have a stronger force of attraction between them because they have more hydrogen atoms bonded to oxygen, which creates a stronger dipole. This makes it easier for water molecules to get "stuck" together and freeze. In contrast, ethanol molecules are less attracted to each other and require a much lower temperature for the forces of attraction to overcome the energy of motion and fix the molecules into an array.
The non-polarity of ethanol also affects its intermolecular forces. Since ethanol cannot form strong hydrogen bonds, its intermolecular forces are weaker. This gives ethanol higher energy, and it requires a much lower temperature to solidify. This is why ethanol has a much lower freezing point than water and is difficult to freeze in a standard home freezer.
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Alcoholic drinks have a mixture of alcohol and water
Alcoholic drinks are a mixture of alcohol and water, and as such, their freezing point is somewhere between that of pure water and pure alcohol. Water freezes at 32° Fahrenheit (0° Celsius), while pure ethanol alcohol freezes at -173° Fahrenheit (-114° Celsius). The exact freezing point of alcoholic drinks will depend on their alcohol by volume (ABV or proof). The lower the alcohol content, the higher the freezing point, and the quicker it will freeze. Conversely, drinks with higher alcohol content will have a lower freezing point and will take longer to freeze.
The freezing point of alcoholic drinks can also vary based on liquor bottle sizes and the different types of alcohol used. For instance, beer can have an ABV anywhere between 3% and 12%, but on average, you can expect beer to freeze at about 28° Fahrenheit. Wine tends to have a slightly higher ABV than beer, so it will have a lower freezing point. Whiskey has a lower freezing point than other standard beverages, which is why it does not freeze in a standard freezer. Vodka, on the other hand, can taste better when very cold, with the optimum temperature for premium vodka being around 32° Fahrenheit. Lower temperatures with cheaper vodkas can produce a smoother drink.
The difficulty in freezing alcohol lies in the structure of the water molecule. The oxygen atom in water is very electronegative, creating a dipole that allows water to bond with itself through partial charges. Ethanol also has a partial dipole in its chemical structure, but it only has one, as opposed to water's two. This makes ethanol more volatile than water, and its molecules are easier to separate. Ethanol is an organic, non-polar compound, and it cannot make strong hydrogen bonds. This results in weak intermolecular forces, which means ethanol molecules refuse to join together, requiring a much lower temperature to solidify.
Additives can be used to elevate the freezing points of alcoholic solutions. Food additives can be introduced to create a chemical reaction with the water and/or ethanol, causing the solution to freeze at higher temperatures. This process lowers the mobility of the free alcohol molecules, making the solution more susceptible to freezing.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, alcohol has a much lower freezing point than water. Water freezes at 32°F (0°C), while pure ethanol alcohol freezes at -173°F (-114°C).
The molecules of water are more attracted to each other than ethanol molecules, as water has more hydrogen atoms bonded to oxygen. This makes water molecules stickier and easier to get stuck or frozen. Ethanol molecules, on the other hand, are less sticky and require a much lower temperature for the forces of attraction to overcome their energy of motion and freeze.
Alcoholic drinks are a mixture of alcohol and water, along with other components. The exact freezing point depends on the alcohol content or ABV (alcohol by volume). The lower the alcohol content, the warmer the freezing point, and the quicker it will freeze. Conversely, a higher alcohol content results in a colder freezing point, and the drink will take longer to freeze.
