Why is ice more effective than water?
                                
                                
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                                    4 min read                                
                            
                                Over 50% of the world's freshwater is stored in ice and glaciers, highlighting its importance in nature. But beyond the global scale, why is ice more effective than water for a simple task like cooling a drink or treating an injury? The answer lies in the fundamental principles of thermal energy and a special property of phase change known as latent heat.