ChatterBank3 mins ago
Why does ice expand?
With the recent weather that we have been having I was thiking about ice!
I thought I understood that gas' are where the particles are really spread out, water not so spread out, and solids even less. Therefore, when water turns to ice wouldn't it be correct to assume that the particles become closer together and, therefore, occupy less space?
However, when water freezes in pipes or bottles, etc. it expands and makes them crack...Any one know the science behind it?
I thought I understood that gas' are where the particles are really spread out, water not so spread out, and solids even less. Therefore, when water turns to ice wouldn't it be correct to assume that the particles become closer together and, therefore, occupy less space?
However, when water freezes in pipes or bottles, etc. it expands and makes them crack...Any one know the science behind it?
Answers
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Scientists say water's quirky behavior is caused by the shape of its molecule and by how its molecules bond to one another.
Each water molecule is two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom (H2O). Because of how the atoms share electrons, a water molecule is slightly positively charged at the hydrogen atoms, and slightly negatively charged at the oxygen atom. The molecule's charged ends attract the oppositely charged ends of other water molecules ("hydrogen bonding").
In liquid water, as molecules slip-slide past each other, bonds form, break, and re-form. But by the time water has cooled to 4 C., the molecules' energy has dropped enough that they are very near one another. So each H2O molecule forms more stable hydrogen bonds, with up to four fellow molecules.
By 0 C. (32 F.), the H2O molecules are snappily lined up in a frozen crystal lattice, an open hexagonal (six-sided) shape. Unlike in liquid water, the molecules in ice are held rigidly apart. That means more empty space between molecules, so frozen water occupies more room. (From our friends at Wierd Science)
Each water molecule is two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom (H2O). Because of how the atoms share electrons, a water molecule is slightly positively charged at the hydrogen atoms, and slightly negatively charged at the oxygen atom. The molecule's charged ends attract the oppositely charged ends of other water molecules ("hydrogen bonding").
In liquid water, as molecules slip-slide past each other, bonds form, break, and re-form. But by the time water has cooled to 4 C., the molecules' energy has dropped enough that they are very near one another. So each H2O molecule forms more stable hydrogen bonds, with up to four fellow molecules.
By 0 C. (32 F.), the H2O molecules are snappily lined up in a frozen crystal lattice, an open hexagonal (six-sided) shape. Unlike in liquid water, the molecules in ice are held rigidly apart. That means more empty space between molecules, so frozen water occupies more room. (From our friends at Wierd Science)
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Reggy, the problem is not just the rising sea levels but also the effect of all this melting ice on the dilution of the sea water (ie its salinity). This is believed to cause the change in water's temperatures and the Oceanic currents. Change the currents - change the climate. This is why there is so much upheaval regarding ice caps melting.
S.
the melting of ice caps is only a problem if either the artic or antartica melt (sorry but cant remember off hand).
i just know that its only a problem when the one of them with land underneath melts.
This is because the one where the ice is floating is displacing more or less the same amount of water as is contained as ice.
the one where land (hard ground) is present underneath, obviously cannot displace land so melted water would have to run off into the sea, rising sea levels and diluting it as JustSia noted
im not saying this is fact, just something that i think i read in a textbook randomly one day
alec
i just know that its only a problem when the one of them with land underneath melts.
This is because the one where the ice is floating is displacing more or less the same amount of water as is contained as ice.
the one where land (hard ground) is present underneath, obviously cannot displace land so melted water would have to run off into the sea, rising sea levels and diluting it as JustSia noted
im not saying this is fact, just something that i think i read in a textbook randomly one day
alec
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