Can hot water freeze faster than cold water?

Yes!

i dont know why people answer questions without bothering to verify their answers. YES, it can. it doesn't always, because it depends on the temperature range (water at 34 degrees will obviously freeze faster than water at 125), but in some ranges, under otherwise IDENTICAL conditions, hot water freezes faster. there are several factors involved, but the main one is evaporation. when placed in a cold environment, hot water begins to evaporate, thus leaving less water in the container, so it requires less time to freeze.

If you put hot water and cold water in the same freezer, the *rate* at which the hot water's temperature decreases is initially faster than the rate at which the cold water's temperature decreases, but, depending on how much water we're talking about, it might not get solid any sooner, because there is a greater difference between the hot water's temperature and freezing point than between the cold water's temperature and freezing point. More likely, the hot water will "catch up" to the cold water (i.e., reach the same temperature as the cold water) before either of them freezes, and then both will freeze at the same rate.

No. That's a common myth.

No. Cold water freezes faster than hot.

Not really, as the atoms in hot water are moving faster than the atoms in cold water, in order for water to freeze the atoms must slow down.

No assumming they are under the same conditions. the only way it could happen is if the hot water is in a colder spot than the cold water while it is freezing. The reason people use hot water to make ice is so that the ice wil get less air bubbles in it. Since the ice freezes slower with hot water it traps less air in the ice.