freezing nucleus

freezing nucleus, any particle that, when present in a mass of supercooled water, will induce growth of an ice crystal about itself; most ice crystals in the atmosphere are thought to form on freezing nuclei. See condensation nucleus.

Citation Information

Article Title: freezing nucleus

Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica

Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

Date Published: 20 July 1998

URL: https://www.britannica.comhttps://www.britannica.com/science/freezing-nucleus

Access Date: March 03, 2025