How refrigerators work - Explain that Stuff

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N ow here's a cool idea: a metal box that helps your food last longer! Have you ever stopped to think how a refrigerator keeps cool, calm, and collected even in the blistering heat of summer? Food goes bad because bacteria breed inside it. But bacteria grow less quickly at lower temperatures, so the cooler you can keep food, the longer it will last. A refrigerator is a machine that keeps food cool with some very clever science. All the time your refrigerator is humming away, liquids are turning into gases, water is turning into ice, and your food is staying deliciously fresh. Let's take a closer look at how a refrigerator works! Photo: A typical domestic refrigerator or "fridge" keeps food at a temperature roughly 0–5°C (32–41°F). Freezers work in a similar way, but cool down to a much lower temperature, typically −18 to −23°C (0 to −10°F). This model has an icebox (the light yellow box at the top) that acts as a mini freezer, which should be at freezer temperatures rather than fridge

How refrigerators work - Explain that Stuff --> Home A-Z index Random article Timeline Teaching guide About us Privacy & cookies You are here: Home page > Home life > Refrigerators Refrigerators --> --> by Chris Woodford . Last updated: April 25, 2025. N ow here's a cool idea: a metal box that helps your food last longer! Have you ever stopped to think how a refrigerator keeps cool, calm, and collected even in the blistering heat of summer? Food goes bad because bacteria breed inside it. But bacteria grow less quickly at lower temperatures, so the cooler you can keep food, the longer it will l

How refrigerators work - Explain that Stuff

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