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Chapter 11: Problem 29

Why is ice less dense than water?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Ice is less dense than water because the arrangement of hydrogen bonds in ice forms a tetrahedral structure that allows the water molecules to occupy a larger volume, reducing the density. In contrast, liquid water has densely packed molecules which are bonded to approximately 3.4 other water molecules.

Step by step solution

01

Understand Density

Density is the mass of an object divided by its volume. The equation to calculate density is: \( \text{Density} = \frac{\text{Mass}}{\text{Volume}} \). So when the same mass of two substances takes up different volumes, the one that takes up more volume is less dense.
02

Liquid Water Molecules

In liquid water each molecule is hydrogen bonded to approximately 3.4 other water molecules. However, the bonds constantly break and reform as the water molecules move around.
03

Ice (Solid Water) Molecules

In ice, each molecule is hydrogen bonded to 4 other molecules in a tetrahedral structure. This arrangement means the water molecules position themselves further apart than they were in liquid state. So, even though the number of molecules does not change, they occupy a larger volume when frozen into ice, leading to lower density.
04

Comparing Densities of Ice and Water

Because ice is a spacious and open form of water, it floats on the more densely packed liquid water. This is also why ice expands, or increases in volume, as water freezes, due to the layout of its hydrogen bonds.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Gaseous or highly volatile liquid anesthetics are often preferred in surgical procedures because once inhaled, these vapors can quickly enter the bloodstream through the alveoli and then enter the brain. Shown here are several common gaseous anesthetics with their boiling points. Based on intermolecular force considerations, explain the advantages of using these anesthetics. (Hint: The brain barrier is made of membranes that have a nonpolar interior region.)

As a liquid is heated at constant pressure, its temperature rises. This trend continues until the boiling point of the liquid is reached. No further rise in temperature of the liquid can be induced by heating. Explain.

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