ice contains the same formula as water. why does ice float?

Question

if ice contains the same formula as water, why does the ice float in the water?

Answer 1

Because solid water is less dense than liquid water because water expands when it freezes.

Answer 2

The arrangement of the molecules change when the water crystallizes. The ice arrangement is less compact, therefore less dense than the water. It's similar to putting 9 marbles in a square shape, then stacking 9 more directly in top. If you shift the top layer 1/2 marble diameter "north" and 1/2 marble diameter "west", they will settle into the "valleys" between the bottom marbles and be more compact or dense.

Answer 3

Most substances get more dense as the temperature decreases and less dense as temperature increases. You can sometimes see this happen on a hot day when pavement will buckle as a result of thermal expansion.

Water, however, is a very unique substance because of its chemical make-up and configuration. Water gets more dense as it cools (like almost all other substances) until it reaches about 4 degrees C. As it continues to cool below 4 degrees C, water begins to get less dense. So ice, which is water below 0 degrees C is less dense than liquid water.

This is clearly very important. If ice was more dense than water and sunk, lakes would freeze completely in the winter killing off all aquatic life in them. The ecological consequences of this are clearly devastating.

Answer 4

Hi. The crystal structure of ice takes up more space than the liquid. And it's a good thing because life would not exist if ice sank. Imagine an ocean that was ice from the bottom up.

Answer 5

Because of the expansion that begins at 34 F This expansion happens because, like most substances, water at room temperature becomes more dense at colder temperatures. Hovever, at 34 degrees, water has reached its maximum condensation point, so it does a very curious thing, it reverses the process while still solidifying. The result is ice.

Answer 6

when water freezes, the water molecules align up in a crystal matrix. This crystal matrix takes up more space that the random orientation of molecules in the liquid state. Since now, the ice still weighs the same but it occupies more space, its density is lower (density = mass/volume), so it will float.

Answer 7

The density's are different. Ice is far less dense then water.

Answer 8

ice is lighter than water, when water freezes it expands. Now if your talking about ice bergs than its about weight displacement.
metal sinks in water, so how does the navy stay aflot??? its all about displacement.

Answer 9

Ice traps gasses in it as it solidifies. Gas is lighter than liquid most of the time. Ergo, ice floats.

Answer 10

it displaces more water then it weighs.
water molecule expands as it freezes, thereby taking up more space.