Freezing temperature of vodka: does vodka freeze? When does the vodka freeze?

Since ancient times people have been drinking alcohol in one form or another. We will not argue about the dangers of such drinks. Alcohol is really harmful to health, but most people believe that it can be consumed in small quantities.

Vodka - what is this product?

Vodka is a strong alcoholic drink, consisting of water and ethyl alcohol. The fortress is regulated by GOST - it ranges from 40 to 56%. The most common and popular option is vodka 40%.

Russians often use vodka as an independent alcoholic beverage, and foreigners as the basis for cocktails. In addition, it is used for the production of tinctures and lotions, for compresses and rubbing. In fact, a universal product, and not just for people who drink.

From the history

Many people mistakenly believe that DI Mendeleev invented vodka. In fact, this product appeared much earlier, even in Persia. And Dmitry Ivanovich worked a lot and densely on the properties of solutions, including alcohol. His doctoral thesis was called "On the connection of alcohol with water," where he scientifically justified an ideal fortress - 60 parts of clean water and forty parts of alcohol.

For the first time in our country vodka appeared even under Dmitri Donskoi, but the novelty was not interested either by princes or ordinary people. They thought that our honey and bread wines are much tastier. In 1429 vodka was brought back to Russia, but already as a medicine. Since then, it has taken root in our lands.

Properties of vodka

Water-alcohol solution, like any other, has different physical and chemical properties: there is a freezing point of vodka, the ability to react with certain substances, but many people are only interested in the effect of this drink on the human body.

It has long been noticed that alcohol in small doses (about 20-25 g of alcohol) relaxes, gives pleasant ease and ease in communication. However, with the increase in dosage, such negative consequences as a loss of coordination, a decrease in attention, a lack of an adequate assessment of reality and one's own behavior begin to increase rapidly.

The only useful quality of vodka from a medical point of view is its disinfecting properties, as well as the possibility of using as lotions, compresses and cooling refreshing rubs.

Few people know that vodka and alcohol were tried to be used as anesthesia (in the absence of other drugs), but this method was abandoned. Too thin line lies between the loss of sensitivity and the unconscious state (as it is necessary for the operation), as well as a fatal outcome.

Vodka freezes

A lot of people are interested in whether vodka can freeze in principle. The answer is simple - yes, like any other liquid mixtures. For example, a saturated solution of sodium chloride crystallizes at -21 ° C, and calcium chloride at -55 ° C. Pure ethanol freezes only at extremely low temperatures (-115 ° C), arctic fuel at -50 ° C.

So the question is not whether vodka freezes, but at what temperature this process takes place. Let us dwell on this in more detail.

Raoult's Law

At the end of the 18th century, the French scientist Francois Raul studied the decrease in the crystallization temperature and the decrease in vapor pressure (increase in the boiling point) of the solutions when the concentration of introduced substances was changed, and derived several laws of the behavior of ideal solutions.

The second law of Raul says that lowering the boiling point and raising the freezing temperature of the solution is directly proportional to its molar concentration.

The law is applicable to infinitely dilute solutions, and the nature of the introduced component does not affect it.

Does this law apply to a water-alcohol solution, and what is the freezing point of vodka according to Raul's conclusions? All the laws of Francois Raul apply to ideal solutions of nonvolatile substances, and alcohol evaporates very actively and creates an increased vapor pressure above the surface of the water-alcohol mixture. So it can be calculated with a slight error: the freezing temperature of vodka 40% is -27 ° C.

Immediately it is worth saying that it's incorrect to talk about freezing at this temperature for some reason. During the crystallization, water ice cubes form, and in the remaining mixture the alcohol concentration increases, and, consequently, the freezing point of the liquid mixture changes. So from a scientific point of view, it's correct to speak not about the freezing point, but about the point of the beginning of the crystallization process.

Temperature table

Partially by experience, a table of the dependence of the freezing point on the amount of alcohol in vodka was formed in part by formulas.

The freezing point of vodka can vary not only from the change in the alcohol concentration in the mixture, but also from the presence of other substances in the solution. Even classical vodka, which consists only of purified water and alcohol, contains some amount of fusel oil and other impurities. But there is a drink with different flavors, which affect its physical properties.

Freezes vodka in the freezer

So, we determined that the temperature of the beginning of crystallization of a 40% water-alcohol mixture is -27 ° C, but only approximately. In general, it can be said that freezing will begin when the mark on the thermometer approaches or crosses the boundary -30 ° C.

In the freezer, the temperature, depending on the settings, can be -5 to -24 ° C. However, this is still not enough to freeze 40% of alcohol.

Many people came across the fact that the vodka left in the compartment for frozen food thickened and ice was formed in it. So why did the vodka freeze in the freezer?

There are several options. First, the product may be diluted, and instead of 40% it will not be more than 35%. And with a decrease in concentration, the freezing temperature of vodka will decrease, and the capacity of the freezer will be enough for crystallization.

The second option - the actual temperature in the freezer is much lower than stated. It is very simple to check using a conventional street thermometer.

The third option is the leakage of the coolant, which causes the regions with extremely low temperatures to form in the refrigerator. This, by the way, is a rather dangerous situation - freon evaporates, and the compressor in the refrigerator overheats, resulting in the unit failing. In addition, freon adversely affects the environment and is one of the most dangerous substances that destroy the ozone layer.

Ice cream or jelly: how frozen vodka looks like

Freezing vodka is a complex process, which is hard to imagine without a clear example. Frozen vodka can look different, depending on the concentration of pure ethanol, time, impurities, temperature fluctuations. However, at the initial stage, it does not crystallize, but thickens, sometimes even turns into jelly. To the traditional alcohol jelly, which is made from and strong drinks, it has no relation. However, in a similar way, "intoxicating ice cream" is made. It looks like fruit ice, and its very nice to eat in the heat. However, only adults, because children can not drink alcohol.

After thickening with further cooling, the vodka begins to crystallize - sometimes it solidifies with plates, sometimes separate islands of ice form in it. Turn it completely into a solid piece is problematic - this is due to the same increase in the concentration of ethanol in the remaining solution.

Is it possible to drink frozen vodka

When vodka freezes, the question immediately arises as to whether it can be drunk. Theoretically, this is not prohibited, but there are several nuances.

Firstly, if the vodka has frozen at a low temperature, and there is already a lot of ice in it, then, most likely, it is diluted and not made by technology. We do not recommend this, although you can throw out ice and drink the remaining liquid, in which alcohol will be more. Previously, this method of purifying vodka was used - freezing, when excess water froze, and the remaining mixture became cleaner and better.

Secondly, frozen vodka should be drunk very carefully. Strongly chilled, viscous, it almost does not smell and does not taste, and the cold also dulls the receptors. Therefore, you can drink a lot, and then instantly and strongly intoxicated, which leads to severe toxic poisoning.

So if you are not an opponent of alcohol, then use it at least correctly, so that there are no unpleasant consequences.