what is happening at the particle level as your tongue freezes to the popsicle, and after it eventually releases from the popsicle.

Question

There is nothing better than an ice-cold popsicle on a hot summer day! But have you ever licked a popsicle right after removing it from the freezer and had your tongue stick right to the side of it? What caused this to happen?

Answer 1

Hydrogen bonding between the water on your tongue and on the popsicle! Water molecules form semi-covalent bonds between the hydrogen atoms (electropositive) of one H2O and the oxygen (electronegative) of another. These bonds are individually weak but in large numbers quite strong. And at colder temperatures, bond formation of all kinds are more likely to form. Hence your tongue getting stuck!