Yes, you can boil ice to drink, but it's a circuitous route. The process involves heating the ice until it melts into water, then boiling that water, and finally cooling it to a drinkable temperature. The water itself is not harmed by this rapid heating and cooling process. [Reference: "If you heated ice rapidly until it melted and then started boiling, and then you waited for it to cool down enough to drink, it would be fine to drink. The water doesn't irrevocably or harmfully change after being heated rapidly."]
Understanding the Process
This process leverages the fundamental principles of phase changes of water:
- Melting: Ice (solid water) transitions to liquid water upon heating.
- Boiling: Liquid water turns into steam (water vapor) when heated to its boiling point (100°C or 212°F at sea level).
- Cooling: The boiled water is cooled to a safe and drinkable temperature.
The crucial point is that the chemical composition of the water remains unchanged throughout these phases. Boiling the water ensures any potential contaminants are removed.
Practical Considerations
- Safety: Ensure the water source is safe for consumption before boiling.
- Efficiency: It's more efficient to simply boil water directly rather than starting with ice.
- Time: Heating ice to boiling takes longer than heating an equivalent amount of water.
Addressing Related Concerns
The provided references mention several related points:
- Adding ice to boiling water will temporarily stop the boiling process, but boiling will usually resume before the ice melts completely. [Reference: Quora link about boiling ice]
- It is possible to boil liquids like milkshakes, but the ice cream will melt. [Reference: Reddit link about boiling a milkshake]
- Boil-water notices advise against using tap water for making drinks or ice due to potential contamination. [Reference: Mississippi State Department of Health link]
- Many iced tea recipes suggest boiling the water first for brewing, then cooling it before adding ice. [Reference: Reddit link about iced tea recipes]. This contrasts with our scenario of first boiling ice.
