Final answer:
The statement that molten iron and solid iron occupy almost the same volume is false. Iron slightly expands as it transitions from solid to liquid, which is typical for most materials undergoing phase changes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement about molten iron and solid iron occupying almost the same volume is false. This is because when a substance transitions from solid to liquid form, there is typically a change in volume. Iron, specifically, expands slightly when it melts. While many materials expand upon melting, there are a few exceptions, such as water, which actually becomes less dense upon freezing, causing ice to float on water.
Expanding on the subject of phase changes and properties of materials, when iron transitions from a solid to its molten state, the atoms within it gain kinetic energy and move more freely, resulting in a slight increase in volume. This is contrary to water's behavior where solid ice occupies more volume than the same mass of liquid water due to its molecular structure. The concept of items having the same mass but different volumes based on their state of matter or material composition is fundamental to understanding properties like density and buoyancy.