Final answer:
The differences in properties among ice, liquid water, and water vapor arise from the amount of kinetic energy in water molecules, which influences their arrangement and density.
Step-by-step explanation:
The properties of ice, liquid water, and water vapor differ due to varying amounts of kinetic energy within the water molecules, which results from changing temperatures. This variation in kinetic energy leads to different levels of molecular mobility and arrangement, with ice displaying a structured, hexagonal lattice due to stable hydrogen bonds, liquid water having short-lived hydrogen bonds and a more disorganized structure, and water vapor characterized by widely separated molecules with minimal interactions.
In the solid state or as ice, water molecules are arranged in a crystalline structure, which is less dense due to hexagonal frameworks leaving more space between molecules. Hence, ice floats on liquid water. The structure of liquid water is more disorganized, with molecules closer together, resulting in a higher density. Water vapor has the least density as the molecules are far apart and disorganized due to having the highest kinetic energy amongst the three states.
A notable anomaly in water is that it expands upon freezing, an atypical characteristic which explains the negative slope in water’s phase diagram for the transition between solid and liquid states. Furthermore, applying pressure near the melting point can transform ice into liquid water, which is also unique to this substance.