After all, why is the ice slippery?

From the series “Things Every Child Asks”, this question is now quite curious: why is the ice slippery? You may have noticed that someone, when walking on a frozen lake, slides. So much so that there is ice skating, recommended for those who have a good idea of ​​balance.

But why, after all, does the ice become slippery? It seems to be just a solid substance like so many ... The question is: it is not just a solid substance like so many others. It is the solid version of water, which, with two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen, can be simple and complex at the same time.

Ice ice baby

Water has the capacity to be less dense while solid and more dense when liquid, contrary to what its logic would judge to be true. In addition, the melting point of water may be decreased with increasing pressure. Still, this issue of pressure does not affect the melting of the ice unless it has been warming for some time.

Scientists say that what causes ice to become smooth is precisely a thin sheet of water present on its surface, caused by the movement of surface molecules. This makes the friction caused by contact with other materials such as tires, shoes and roller skates present less resistance. The slippery feature seems to be a combination of these two factors. What do you think? Does this all make sense?