Water at 273 K is less effective in cooling than ice at the same tempe

Water at 273 K is less effective in cooling than ice at the same temperature. It is because :

water is difficult to handle
water at 273 K has less energy than ice at the same temperature
water at 273 K has more energy than ice at the same temperature
water is not a cooling agent
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2016
Water at 273 K (0°C) is less effective in cooling than ice at the same temperature because water at 273 K has more energy (internal energy) than ice at the same temperature.
When ice at 0°C (273 K) melts into water at 0°C, it absorbs heat from its surroundings. This absorbed heat, known as the latent heat of fusion (approximately 334 kJ/kg for water), is used to break the bonds holding the water molecules in a fixed solid structure and transition to the liquid phase, without causing a change in temperature.
Therefore, water at 0°C possesses this latent heat energy in addition to the energy contained in ice at 0°C.
When ice is used for cooling, it absorbs heat to melt, providing significant cooling due to the latent heat. The resulting water then absorbs further heat as its temperature rises. When water at 0°C is used for cooling, it only absorbs heat as its temperature rises, which provides less cooling capacity compared to the phase change process of ice.
Latent heat is the heat required to change the state of a substance at constant temperature and pressure. Specific heat capacity is the heat required to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree.