Bizarre

[karohemd]

When my fridge is basically empty, it sometimes gets really cold (to be expected, really).
I had half a pint of milk and just 1cm or so of orange juice, both in glass bottles, right next to each other. The milk was frozen, the juice wasn't. I would have thought that due to the fat content of the milk, it wouldn't freeze as quickly as juice (which isn't much different to water).

Anyone who knows more about the thermal properties of liquids/emulsions/suspensions able/willing to explain?

Comments

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

At a guess, milk is an emulsion of otherwise immiscable liquids - the water in it is actually reasonably pure apart from traces of soluble sugars. Orange juice is a mixture, lots of different organic chemicals actually dissolved in water. The solution is a lot stronger, and the chemicals act like antifreeze.

I could be wrong, but I think this is probably the right answer.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

That sounds plausible. Thanks!

[susanofstohelit.livejournal.com]

this is one of the reasons I keep a gallon of water in my fridge.

other reasons: it runs more efficiently when full and a couple months ago the boston municipal water supply was contaminated and they had to boil all water for a couple days before using. I want drinking water to hand if that happens. but that's not especially logical, because minneapolis has a separate water supply so I could go to a friend's house and fill up tupperware.

[briggsy.livejournal.com]

If milk is freezing in the fridge, then the fridge is set too low (it should be at 5 degrees), or it's broken.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know, I've been having problems with it. The settings are a bit screwed. The next setting down (or rather up, in temperature) is too warm.