Bertilanjäätyseoksen

Bertilanjäätyseoksen, also known as Berthelot's freezing mixture, is a combination of substances that produces a very low temperature when mixed. It is commonly composed of crushed ice and concentrated hydrochloric acid. When these two components are mixed, a highly endothermic reaction occurs, absorbing a significant amount of heat from the surroundings. This process effectively lowers the temperature of the mixture, often well below the freezing point of water, reaching temperatures as low as -40 degrees Celsius.

The principle behind Bertilanjäätyseoksen is that the dissolution of certain salts or the reaction of acids with water can absorb heat. Hydrochloric acid is a strong acid, and its reaction with ice involves both the melting of ice (which requires energy) and the dissolution of the acid in the resulting water (which is also an endothermic process). This efficient heat absorption makes it a useful tool for applications requiring rapid and intense cooling.

Historically, such freezing mixtures were important for refrigeration before the advent of mechanical refrigeration systems. Bertilanjäätyseoksen, and similar mixtures like salt and ice, were used in laboratories for experiments requiring low temperatures and in the early days of ice cream making. While less common today due to the availability of more controlled refrigeration methods, it remains a classic example of a chemical cooling agent and is sometimes demonstrated in educational settings to illustrate the principles of endothermic reactions and thermochemistry. Safety precautions are essential when handling concentrated hydrochloric acid due to its corrosive nature.