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| 1. |
Why does ice float over water? |
| Answer» Because the density of ice is less than water..<br>Constituent particles of the ice are not closely packed. In the ice, water remains in the solid form in which each water molecule is tetrahedrally surrounded by the four other neighboring water molecules with their oxygen atom occupying the corner of the tetrahedron.There are four hydrogen atoms two of the hydrogen atoms are bonded by the covalent bond while another two by the hydrogen bond. This gives a huge 3D structure having large vacant spaces. Due to this it has a large volume for the given mass of the water and hence less density.Therefore it floats on the water.<br>As it cools further and freezes into ice, it actually becomes less density. On the other hand, most substances are most density in their solid (frozen) state than in their liquid state. Water is different because of hydrogen bonding. ... The heavier water displaces the lighter ice, so ice floats to the top.<br>Water has a unique property of anomalous expansion. When water is cooled from room temperature it first contracts in volume and becomes increasingly dense as do other liquids, but at 4° C water reaches its maximum density. On further cooling, it starts expanding and become less dense. This will be continued till the temperature reaches 00C, the point at which it freezes into ice.\xa0This unusual property of water enables marine life to exist in the polar region where the temperature falls below freezing temperature. The outer layer of water becomes ice and floats over the water. As the water has the highest density at 40C sinks down. | |