To those who remember their physics better than I do

[karohemd]

A glass bottle of milk is placed on a doorstep and left there for 6 hours. Will it have frozen by the end of that time if it was around +4°C when placed there (I don't think it'll be much warmer on the back of an open lorry) and the outside temperature is -8°C? (it's already -6 according to the thermometer at the garden fence and bound to drop a few degrees)

Comments

[gnimmel.livejournal.com]

An empirical data point: while we were away at the start of the cold snap, the milkperson ignored our note and made a delivery. So when we got back there were two milk deliveries, one of which had been there for a couple of days ad one of which had been freshly delivered that morning. The first delivery was frozen solid, the second was still liquid.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Interesting, thanks! I'm just surprised it was still there. Mine gets nicked on a regular basis. :/
Stupid milk person. I always call to cancel for holidays just to make sure.

[gnimmel.livejournal.com]

Ours gets nicked too occasionally, but since we're down the end of a cul-de-sac which was like a skating rink at that point, I think the thieves were feeling insufficiently determined!