Question

Ice floats in water because it

A
has less mass than water

B
is more dense than water

C
is less dense than water

D
has more mass than water

Answer 1

[AI-generated answer — Bot GPT 3.5]

C

is less dense than water

Answer 2

[AI-generated answer — Step-by-Step Bot]

C

is less dense than water

Answer 3

[AI-generated answer — Explain Bot]

Ice floats in water because it is less dense than water. This is option C.

To understand why ice is less dense than water, we need to consider the unique structure of water and how it behaves when it freezes. In its liquid state, water molecules are in constant motion and pack closely together, forming a relatively dense structure. However, when water freezes and becomes ice, the water molecules form a regular lattice structure with hydrogen bonds, which gives ice an open and expanded arrangement.

The expansion of the water molecules during freezing causes ice to have a lower density than liquid water. In other words, a given volume of ice contains fewer water molecules, and therefore less mass, compared to the same volume of liquid water.

Hence, when ice is placed in water, since it is less dense, it displaces less water mass compared to its own mass. So the ice floats on the surface of the water instead of sinking. This is why icebergs and ice cubes float in our drinks.