Last Week's Question:

During the next few weeks, some of the liquid water in Maine's Lakes and Ponds will undergo a form change to solid water- aka ice. But not all ice is equal! Which of these forms of ice is NOT ever found on Maine Lakes?

 The answer is "D" - Blue ice. Here is "the rest of the story".

A. Fast Ice - Fast Ice covers the entire water body from shore to shore. Fast ice is usually proceeded by Float ice and/or Frazil ice. 

B. Frazil Ice - Frazil ice forms when the weather is very cold and windy. On Lakes, Frazil ice looks like floating slush.

C. Anchor Ice - Anchor ice is Frazil ice that sticks on the bottom of a lake and is thus "anchored" to the bottom. Anchor ice will occasionally form on lakes, but is more common in rivers and streams. A build-up of Anchor ice can lead to ice dams. 

D. Blue Ice - Blue ice is formed when frozen water is exposed to very high pressures. The pressure actually changes the size of, and space between, water molecules resulting in a solid that looks bluish white. Blue ice forms in glaciers and is usually seen when glaciers calve. This, icebergs are sometimes blue. 

E. Float Ice - Float ice forms on the surface of a lake when the weather is cold and windless. 

F. Ice cubes - Ice cubes form in the freezer and are found on Maine's lakes and ponds during hot summer days. 

This week's question:

December is Maine's darkest month. In December, in Bangor, on how many days does the sun set before 4PM?

A. Just one day, on December 21st

B. Every day, so 31 days.

C. Five days

D. 26 days

E. The sun never sets before 4 PM

Randall Poulton