It varies for different types of alcohol
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Chemistry Expert
- Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
- B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
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Updated on October 03, 2019
The freezing point of alcohol depends on the type of alcohol and the atmospheric pressure. The freezing point of ethanol, or ethyl alcohol (C2H6O), is around−114C, −173F, or 159K. The freezing point of methanol, or methyl alcohol (CH3OH), is around−97.6C, −143.7F, or 175.6K. You'll find slightly different values for the freezing points depending on the source because the freezing point is affected by atmospheric pressure.
If there is any water in the alcohol, the freezing point will be much higher. Alcoholic beverages have a freezing point between the freezing point of water (0 C, 32 F) and that of pure ethanol (-114 C, -173 F). Most alcoholic beverages contain more water than alcohol, so some will freeze in a home freezer (e.g., beer, wine). High proof alcohol, which contains more alcohol, will not freeze in a home freezer (e.g., vodka, Everclear).
Key Takeaways: Freezing Point of Alcohol
- There is more than one type of alcohol, so there isn't a single value for the freezing point temperature.
- Generally, alcohol freezes around -100 C or -150 F. This is well below the temperature of most freezers.
- Mixing alcohol with water or any other chemical changes its freezing point. A water and alcohol mixture freezes but still generally below the temperature of a home freezer.
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Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Freezing Temperature of Alcohol." ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/freezing-temperature-of-alcohol-606833.Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2020, August 28). Freezing Temperature of Alcohol. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/freezing-temperature-of-alcohol-606833Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Freezing Temperature of Alcohol." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/freezing-temperature-of-alcohol-606833 (accessed December 30, 2023).
