Question

Which statement explains why ice floats in liquid water?

A. Water molecules maintain the same bent shape in liquid and solid states.

B. As water molecules go from the liquid to the solid state, their rate of motion decreases.

C. Water molecules maintain the same mass as they transition from the liquid to the solid state.

D. The ordered lattice structure of water molecules in ice is maintained by hydrogen bonds.

E. The arrangement of water molecules in ice results in fewer molecules per unit volume than in liquid water.

Answer 1

Ice floats in liquid water because it has a lower density than liquid water due to the arrangement of water molecules in ice.

Step-by-step explanation:

Ice floats in liquid water because it has a lower density than liquid water. When water freezes to ice, the hydrogen bonds between water molecules form a rigid lattice structure, creating gaps in the hydrogen bonding network. As a result, ice has fewer water molecules per unit volume compared to liquid water, making it less dense and causing it to float.