When it comes to cooling a drink, the surface area of the ice plays a crucial role. In general, smaller ice cubes or crushed ice will cool a drink faster than a single large ice cube of the same overall volume.
Smaller ice cubes or crushed ice have a larger surface area compared to a single large ice cube. As a result, they come into contact with the drink more extensively, allowing for faster heat transfer. The increased surface area facilitates a more efficient exchange of thermal energy between the drink and the ice, leading to quicker cooling.
In contrast, a large ice cube has a smaller surface area relative to its volume. It cools the surrounding drink primarily through the contact between its outer surface and the liquid. The rate of heat transfer in this case is slower due to the limited surface area available for cooling.
Therefore, if you want to cool a drink as quickly as possible, using smaller ice cubes or crushed ice will provide more effective cooling compared to a single large ice cube of the same total amount of ice.