What causes ice to melt?

Answer by  knightmare (1231)

In it's frozen state, the H2O molecules that make up ice are so cold they don't move and freeze to each other. With the presence of heat, these molecules start moving around and the ice melts to water at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The hotter the temperature touching the ice, the faster the ice will melt.

Answer by  Sockless (528)

The ice absorbs enough energy, usually in the form of heat, to revert to it's liquid state, water. All matter behaves this way with different melting points, water happens to do this at an easily observable temperature. A continuation of this same process is turning liquid water into vapor by boiling it.