More complicated than it appears to be

      A small detail that is mostly overlooked, is the ripples on icicles. Though scientists hypothesized this was the result of surface tension between water molecules flowing over the ice, a new experiment conducted by Stephen Morris and Anthony Szu-Han Chan reveals these ripples are actually the result of salt. While tap water produced ripply icicles in the experiment, distilled water did not produce ripples. Also melted icicles were recorded for having a slight amount of salt in their composition. The experiment found a speed and direction of the ripple motion were determined by the concentration of dissolved salt. Though salt does drive this formation, it is not a large amount of salt used to make these ripples, only 20mg of salt per liter. This research can benefit greatly in prevention of ice formation on airplanes, ships, and power lines. Find more information in the article: http://www.chemistrytimes.com/research/Want_ripples_on_your_icicles_Scientists_suggest_adding_salt.asp
       Though the benefits of studying icicle formation are slightly interesting, this article entertaining in how particles react to form these icicles. Scientists first thought these icicles were formed by surface tension between flowing water molecules and the ice. Surface tension is the result of water's property of polarity, which allows it to form hydrogen bonds between slightly negative oxygen atoms and slightly positive hydrogen atoms of neighboring molecules. This polarity explains why water beads and has surface tension. Though scientists believed water was the cause of these ripples, this article described an experiment in which salt was revealed as the cause of formation of ripples. Due to water's polarity, it is capable of moving and reacting with other particles and molecules with different charges. This is most likely why the icicle forms ripples and changing shapes because of the bond and pull of particles of salt and water. These properties and reactions between particles are what drive chemistry and really make it interesting.