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Does metal shatter if cold enough?

In movies or shows where the character has ice powers or a ice based weapon they can freeze stuff like metal and break through it easily causing the metal to shatter like glass. Is this scientifically accurate? And if so would the same apply to rock, wood, or people?
Picklebobble2 · 56-60, M
It is scientifically accurate.
If you lower the temperature low enough you can shatter anything.
That's because all materials have a structure made up of atoms and molecules that solidify and strengthen within a certain temperature range.
If you go way beyond it's temperature range, you alter the structure's integrity.
I think !
NoodleJuice · 31-35, F
Wow that's kinda awesome
SW-User
In people it will cause gangrene due to frost bite. Don't know about rocks. Yes metal becomes brittle at low temperature, don't know about all. This was one of the reason titanic suffered its fate when it hit the ice berg as water was so cold. This phenomenon is known as ductile to brittle transformation at low temperatures.
NoodleJuice · 31-35, F
Wow that makes sense
SW-User
Below a certain point, the atoms get even closer, in solids they are the closest, which is different bonds holding the atoms in different shapes, but at lower temperature, metals don't go any closer. So, if I freeze an iron bar, it will be still an iron bar. It won't get brittle just like they show in TVs, unless they react with some other metals to undergo a change in chemical composition.
Having said that, metals shattering at low temperature is an example of comic book physics. If it was real, people using metal claws to climb Everest would never make it to the top.
SW-User
@zmedleff1: thanks for the reference, I'll have a look at the topic again. Molecular vibration and the energy related to it has a temperature coefficient, so I guess low temperatures affect it.
xmedleft · 51-55, M
@ragingfire: And I should concede a detail that may affect the point. I saw someone else on here refer to Fracturing and another refer to Cracking.
So perhaps breaking, cracking, fracturing and shattering are different actions/events. I don't know for sure if there shall be a distinction -- I suppose shattering sounds more ... active?
SW-User
I'd say shattering is the right word. Cracking and fracturing could mean partial rupture. @zmedleff1:
xmedleft · 51-55, M
If you get anything cold enough to stop molecular motion it will become brittle enough to shatter like that, this is aided by many metals and metal alloys forming crystalline lattices in a crystal there is usually one direction of impact that it is strong in and another direction in which you shift positive molecules off of negatives and the pole shift forces them apart at straight lines, which appears on the macro level as "shattering"
NoodleJuice · 31-35, F
Wow that's so cool 😎
PreciselyUs · 46-50, C
I worked in the Canadian Arctic, it would get cold enough that axles on heavy equipment would break.
NoodleJuice · 31-35, F
Gotta stay warm up there in Canada
walabby · 61-69, M
It's true that most things get very brittle when very cold. It never gets very cold where I live so I have no idea about how brittle for how cold... :)
NoodleJuice · 31-35, F
@walabby: yea that's why it's on my list of places to visit
walabby · 61-69, M
COOL.. It's only a 13 hour flight from LA..
NoodleJuice · 31-35, F
@lol 😂
Trampoline · 36-40, M
Freezing something at a certain temperature weaken the structure integrity not a 💯 percent sure if that true but it has come across my mind a few times,
NoodleJuice · 31-35, F
Thanks! Cartoon physics always make me wonder about real life application
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NoodleJuice · 31-35, F
@JoshStraus: not yet 😈
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NoodleJuice · 31-35, F
But what if you could some how steal heat from other objects causing them to freeze lower than their freezing points?
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NoodleJuice · 31-35, F
@ThePiedPiper: hmmm interesting!
xmedleft · 51-55, M
anything that can be moved into a crystalline condition or anything that can have molecular motion stopped or slowed can shatter like that. Freezing things is about slowing or reducing energy -- during which molecular motion would slow.
Degbeme · 70-79, M
It`s well known here in Canada that railroad rails will fracture if they stay cold long enough. Not shatter, but fracture.
NoodleJuice · 31-35, F
Is there a solution for that?
Degbeme · 70-79, M
@NoodleJuice: The train`s just have to run slower.
Snuffy1957 · 61-69, M
Actually the same thing would apply to Rock, wood or people if you get them cold enough
Snuffy1957 · 61-69, M
Yes it will. Does and has...I.E. The Titanic

 
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