Description (From Recipaedia )
A block of water which has frozen solid. Whenever water is exposed to low temperatures, it will turn into ice. Ice can in turn be melted back into water by using fire or magma as a heat source. It has a slippery surface that makes walking difficult.
Notes
- Ice will turn to water if broken IN MOST CASES. However at higher altitudes, ice will now drop as ice if the temperature is also cold enough (since at least 2.2). The minimum height for ice to drop is 82 blocks, where the temperature is already very low. Where the ground temperature is higher, this minimum height could be as high as 200 blocks.
- Water will only freeze on the top layer. It has to be exposed to the sky in order to freeze, so water underground does not freeze. Water under trees will not freeze, either.
- In the same fashion, ice will not naturally melt if it is covered. You could make an ice rink in the hottest desert (in creative) and if it is covered, it will not naturally melt (in survival).
- Flowing water can freeze into ice blocks. This lets you make multiple ice blocks from one water source block.
- To walk faster on ice, jump often. You can use this to get away from animals easier.