answersLogoWhite

0

Water actually becomes less dense, or expands, when frozen. When liquid water reaches it's freezing point, the water molecules rearrange themselves into a lattice structure. Due to the nature of the water molecules, they arrange themselves in such a way as to make it less dense than it was in it's liquid form, which is why ice floats on top of liquid water.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago

Still curious? Ask our experts.

Chat with our AI personalities

ProfessorProfessor
I will give you the most educated answer.
Chat with Professor
CoachCoach
Success isn't just about winning—it's about vision, patience, and playing the long game.
Chat with Coach
TaigaTaiga
Every great hero faces trials, and you—yes, YOU—are no exception!
Chat with Taiga
More answers

Ice expands when it freezes because the water molecules form a crystalline structure that takes up more space than when they were in liquid form. This expansion is what causes ice to be less dense than water and float on its surface.

User Avatar

AnswerBot

10mo ago
User Avatar

water does not shrink at lower temps when it freezes it changes to solid and expands, when heated it expands until the temp. changes it to a gas also known as steam water is the only element that expands when heated or cooled

User Avatar

Wiki User

17y ago
User Avatar

Ice does not shrink when it is frozen because it is already frozen. Water expands when it freezes to create ice.

User Avatar

Wiki User

10y ago
User Avatar

when water gets frozen it's smaller.

User Avatar

Wiki User

16y ago
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Why does ice shrink when it freezes?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp