Question

4. Many fish and aquatic plants can survive a cold winter because the layer of ice that forms at the top of the lake insulates the water below and prevents the lake from freezing solid. What unique property of water contributes to this effect?​

Answer 1

This question is incomplete because the options are missing; here is the missing section:

What unique property of water contributes to this effect?​

A. Water absorbs heat when it evaporates and forms a gas.

B. Water expands and becomes less dense when it freezes.

C. Water molecules completely separate into ions in solutions.

D. Water forms hydrogen bonds with ions and other polar substances.

The answer to this question is B. Water expands and becomes less dense when it freezes.

Step-by-step explanation:

Different from other substances, once water decreases its temperature and freezes it becomes less dense. This implies the relationship between mass and volume decreases. This is caused by the expansion of water that increases its volume and causes a lower density. Moreover, due to the low density of ice in comparison to water, the ice floats over water. This leads to an ice layer over lakes, rivers, etc. and water below that allows living organisms to continue living.