When water freezes and becomes solid ice, the hydrogen bonds create a crystal structure and there is fixed space between each water molecule. This causes ice to?

a.become more dense than liquid water because it is a solid*
b.become less dense than liquid water and therefore ice floats
c.determine the physical state of matter for the substance
d.alter the molecular structure of water

Isn't it odd that ice always floats to the top.

b.? ice is less dense than liquid water

The correct answer is b. become less dense than liquid water and therefore ice floats.

Ice floats on liquid water because it is less dense than the liquid form. This happens because when water freezes, the hydrogen bonds between water molecules form a specific crystal structure, known as a hexagonal lattice. In this structure, the water molecules are further apart compared to when they are in the liquid state.

The fixed and ordered arrangement of the water molecules in ice results in a greater amount of empty space between them compared to liquid water. This leads to lower overall density since there is less mass per unit volume. As a result, the density of ice is lower than that of liquid water, causing it to float.

To understand why ice floats, you can also perform a simple experiment. Take a glass of water and place an ice cube in it. Observe how the ice cube floats on top of the water. This observation supports the concept that ice is less dense than liquid water.