snowball

     

A snowball is a spherical object mae from frozen water or snow, usually created by scooping snow with the hands, and compacting it into a roughly fist-sized ball. The snowball is often used to engage in games, such as snowball fights. The pressure exerted by the hands on the snow is determinant for the final result. Reduced pressure leads to a light and soft snowball. A higher pressure causes the snow to melt, turning into liquid water. Once the pressure is removed, the water turns again into ice, leading to a more compact and hard snowball called an iceball, which eventually can be considered harmful during a snowball fight. The process of melting and refreezing is called regelation.

Trivia about snowball

  • A boule-de-neige is a dessert named for & resembling one of these spheres
  • Proverbially, it doesn't stand a chance in hell
  • Noted astronomer Fred Whipple famously described the comet as an enormous, dirty one of these
  • I must remember! some plans for a windmill in my pocket that I must've drawn up & a note that says "Watch Napoleon"