a student fills a paper cup with water and puts it in the freezer overnight. when she takes the cup out the next day she notes that the sides of the cup are pushed out. why did this happen.

Water expands when it freezes.

thanks so much

You are welcome.

A student fills a paper cup with water and puts it in a freezer overnight. When she takes the cup out the next day, she notices that the sides of the cup are pushed out. Why did this happen?

The sides of the cup were pushed out because of a scientific phenomenon called "expansion of water upon freezing." When water freezes, it undergoes a change in its molecular structure, causing it to expand. This expansion creates increased pressure inside the cup, pushing the sides outward.

To explain this phenomenon in more detail: when water is in its liquid form, the water molecules move freely and have more space between them. However, as the water is cooled and reaches its freezing point, the water molecules slow down and begin to arrange themselves in a rigid, hexagonal pattern. During this process, the molecules are forced to arrange themselves in a way that requires more space than they had in their liquid state. As a result, the water expands when it freezes.

In the case of the paper cup filled with water and placed in the freezer overnight, the water inside the cup began to freeze and expand. Since the paper cup is not rigid or strong enough to withstand the increased pressure from the expanding ice, its sides were pushed outwards.

This phenomenon is not limited to just paper cups. It can also occur with other containers, such as plastic bottles or even metal cans. It is important to be cautious when freezing liquid in containers that may not be able to withstand the expansion, as it can cause them to burst or rupture.