frysningen

Frysningen refers to the process by which a substance changes from a liquid to a solid as its temperature is lowered below its freezing point. It involves the removal of thermal energy and the release of latent heat of fusion. The exact freezing point depends on the substance, pressure, and the presence of impurities, which can lower the freezing point (freezing-point depression). In some systems, undercooling can occur, where a liquid remains liquid below its normal freezing point until nucleation triggers solidification.

In practical terms, freezing is widely used for preservation. For water-based foods, freezing slows biological activity and enzymatic reactions, helping to preserve texture, flavor, and nutrients. Common methods include slow freezing, blast freezing, and rapid freezing using cryogenic technologies such as liquid nitrogen. Ice crystal formation during freezing can damage delicate structures; rapid freezing or the use of cryoprotectants is often employed to form smaller ice crystals and reduce cellular damage.

In science and medicine, controlled freezing under specific protocols is used for cryopreservation of cells, tissues, and biological samples. This requires careful management of cooling rates, storage temperatures, and sometimes additives that protect against ice-related injury.

Etymologically, frysningen is a term used in Norwegian and Swedish to denote the act of freezing and, in some contexts, a period of freezing temperatures. In meteorology and climate discussions, it can appear when describing frost events or sustained below‑freezing conditions. The term thus covers both the physical process and its contexts in daily language.