Ice is less dense than liquid water because in ice each water molecule
Correct answer: B. is hydrogen bonded to four others in an open tetrahedral arrangement
- A. loses one of its hydrogen atoms
- B. is hydrogen bonded to four others in an open tetrahedral arrangement
- C. moves faster than in the liquid
- D. is compressed closer to its neighbours
Explanation
Every molecule uses its two hydrogens and its two lone pairs, so a rigid open cage with large empty spaces is formed, and this occupies more volume than the same molecules jostling in the liquid. Water is therefore anomalous in expanding on freezing, which is why pipes burst in winter and why ice floats. Almost every other substance contracts as it solidifies.
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About Anomalous Behaviour of Water
Water expands when cooled below 4°C and when it freezes, giving liquid water its maximum density at 4°C. The explanation depends on hydrogen bonding and the open structure of ice, which makes ice less dense than water and allows it to float.
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