Final answer:
The heat released when water freezes does not remelt the ice because it is absorbed by the surrounding environment and the water's high specific heat capacity prevents immediate temperature change. The freezing of water involves exothermic reactions that maintain the temperature at the freezing point until all the liquid has solidified.
Step-by-step explanation:
When water freezes, a great deal of heat is released; however, this heat does not remelt the ice because energy is required to change the state of water from solid to liquid. This process of freezing involves exothermic reactions where work is done by the attractive forces when molecules of water are brought together, releasing heat into the surroundings. Despite the release of energy, the temperature of the system remains at the freezing point until all liquid water has solidified, after which additional heat can be removed to lower the ice's temperature.
Water has unique properties, including high specific heat capacity, meaning it requires an unusually large amount of energy to change its temperature. This characteristic ensures that the temperature of water changes slowly as heat is added or removed, which is why the heat released during freezing doesn't immediately cause the ice to melt. Instead, the released energy is typically absorbed by the surroundings or dissipated into the air, keeping the ice at the freezing point until the phase change is complete.
Water's unique characteristic of having a lower density in solid form than in liquid form allows ice to float, and this anomaly plays a crucial role in the environment, enabling aquatic life to survive beneath the icy surfaces of lakes and rivers during cold weather. Additionally, the molar heat of fusion for water is a specific amount of energy required for the phase change, which is why consistent temperatures are maintained during these transitions.