Most solids sink in their liquids, but ice floats on water. What makes water so special?
When you put ice in water, it floats instead of sinking. This is unusual because most solids sink in their liquids.
In most substances, the solid form is denser than the liquid form, so it sinks. Water behaves differently.
In liquid water, molecules are packed closely together, making water relatively dense.
When water freezes, its molecules form a rigid, open structure that takes up more space.
Ice occupies more space for the same amount of water, so its density becomes lower than liquid water.
Because ice is less dense than water, it floats on the surface and even protects aquatic life by insulating the water below.
