The Hierarchical Structure and Balance Principle of Ice

As a simple consequence of the ice rule, we propose the balance principle of ice, which states that the numbers of inward and outward hydrogen bonds across any closed surface inside ice satisfying the ice rule are equal. The equilibrium principle clearly explains the effects of polarization and defects in ice. It can also be inferred that the phase transition between hydrogen-ordered ice and hydrogen-disordered ice differs from the transition between the normal ordered and disordered phases.