Why does ice float?
My explanatin was:
Due to the shape formed by H-bonding between each water molecule, the overall structure of Water becomes a less dense shape than the shapes that form during the liquid phase as they are less likely to pass each other and H-bonding overpowers all the other intemolecular forces (IMF). The strongest IMF takes place and makes the arrangement of water molecules in such a way that it becomes less dense than the free-moving liquid phase where they "rub" pass each other.
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Do you guys have a better / another way to explain this?!
My explanatin was:
Due to the shape formed by H-bonding between each water molecule, the overall structure of Water becomes a less dense shape than the shapes that form during the liquid phase as they are less likely to pass each other and H-bonding overpowers all the other intemolecular forces (IMF). The strongest IMF takes place and makes the arrangement of water molecules in such a way that it becomes less dense than the free-moving liquid phase where they "rub" pass each other.
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Do you guys have a better / another way to explain this?!
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If this was a quiz question, and I was grading your answer, then you wouldn't get many points. Your explanation really doesn't say anything. It doesn't say anything about what the shape actually is, or why.
Ice floats because the density of ice is less than the density of liquid water. The strongest intermolecular force in water is hydrogen bonding. Water is a bent molecule (bond angle 105 degrees). When the H in one molecule is hydrogen bonded to the oxygen in an adjacent molecule, and the pattern repeats, a hexagon is formed. Therefore, ice is composed of hexagonal rings of made up of "parts" of three water molecules. The linked hexagons, with the "empty space" in the middle of each hexagon, take up more space than the nonrigid arrangement of liquid water molecules. Since the volume of an equivalent mass of ice is greater, the density of ice is less than for water.
=========== Follow up ============
No, Alex is incorrect. Water experiences the same hydrogen bonding in liquid water as it does in water ice. The difference between the solid state and the liquid state is the length of time the intermolecular bonds persist and the relative motion between the molecules.
Ice floats because the density of ice is less than the density of liquid water. The strongest intermolecular force in water is hydrogen bonding. Water is a bent molecule (bond angle 105 degrees). When the H in one molecule is hydrogen bonded to the oxygen in an adjacent molecule, and the pattern repeats, a hexagon is formed. Therefore, ice is composed of hexagonal rings of made up of "parts" of three water molecules. The linked hexagons, with the "empty space" in the middle of each hexagon, take up more space than the nonrigid arrangement of liquid water molecules. Since the volume of an equivalent mass of ice is greater, the density of ice is less than for water.
=========== Follow up ============
No, Alex is incorrect. Water experiences the same hydrogen bonding in liquid water as it does in water ice. The difference between the solid state and the liquid state is the length of time the intermolecular bonds persist and the relative motion between the molecules.
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physics way to explain is Ice floats because the density of ice is less than the density of liquid water
density depends on volume (closeness of molecules in an enclosed space). so weaker IMF in water td-td than H-bonding in ice
density depends on volume (closeness of molecules in an enclosed space). so weaker IMF in water td-td than H-bonding in ice