Suppose that water contracted instead of expanded as its temperature decreased from 4C to 0C.Wat is d effect ?

Question

So what is the possible effect in our lives or in our environment?

Answer 1

Well, if that was the case, then ice would be more dense than liquid water, so lakes and rivers would freeze from the bottom up rather than freezing on the top. That wouldn't be so good for any aquatic organisms. We also wouldn't have nearly as many places where you could ice skate.

Answer 2

It is really handy that water expands instead of contracting like most materials do. Aside from your drink looking funny with the ice cubes in the bottom, ice in the oceans would sink. With gradually colder water as you move down to the sunken ice, the ice would never melt, but would continue to get deeper and deeper. Instead of an Arctic Ocean, you would have one huge ice berg.

Answer 3

As bodies of water would freeze from the bottom up, and would be more likely to freeze solid [since ice on top limits heat loss to atmosphere] life might very well never have evolved.