Final answer:
Water expands when it freezes and becomes less dense, allowing ice to float on water. This property creates a protective surface layer and enables organisms to survive in frozen lakes and seas. The force exerted by water when it freezes can cause damage to containers and objects.
Step-by-step explanation:
When water freezes, it expands and becomes less dense than its liquid form. This property allows ice to float on water and creates a protective surface layer that insulates the rest of the water. This insulation enables fish and other organisms to survive in the lower levels of a frozen lake or sea.
The expansion of water when freezing also explains how the force per unit area it exerts on a container can cause damage. When water freezes, its volume increases, and if confined in a container, it can exert a significant force, which can fracture engine blocks, boulders, and other objects.