Why ice density is less than water?
1 answer(s)
Yeah, it's a bit of a weird one. Most stuff gets smaller and more dense when it gets cold. But water is special.
Think of the little water bits, the H2O. In liquid water, they are all messy and packed close together. They can slide all around each other.
But when water freezes, these bits slow right down. They have to line up and connect in a very special pattern. This pattern is a crystal shape, and it has lots of empty space in it. It’s like they all hold hands and make a big open circle.
So, the same amount of water bits takes up more room as ice. More room for the same stuff means it is less dense. That's why ice floats