Chemist the Mr.

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Ceiling cat.jpg W A R N I N G

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Please note:

If I freeze water, it expands, potentially breaking its container. If I evaporate water, it expands, potentially breaking its container (for the sake of discussion, the container in question is made of some boro-silicate or whatever). Why would water expand when it freezes? Doesn't that mean the particles are moving less? I can understand why particles that move more would need more space, but particles that move less? I DEMAND ANSWERS!

"Shut up, Brx."00:32, 26 July 2012

thanks

"Shut up, Brx."00:32, 26 July 2012

Also, please.

Forgot those two and I hate editing LQT posts

"Shut up, Brx."00:33, 26 July 2012
 

When water freezes it forms a rigid lattice structure which happens to be less dense than the original water, unlike in most cases when the solid is more dense. See the Wikipedia article on Ice#Characteristics.

What he said.

Though if you want to add an amusing factoid on a related subject), frozen water expands and therefore floats. The water displaced by an iceberg is exactly equal to the liquid volume of the ice in question (because displacement is based on mass). Therefore, when sea ice forms and melts on a seasonal basis, sea levels aren't affected.

Scarlet A.pngd hominem01:05, 26 July 2012

Thanks. Is it possible to freeze water without the lattice? Is that what happens if you freeze it under high pressure (which would also raise the freezing temperature, right)?

"Shut up, Brx."02:34, 26 July 2012

There are different types of ice with different properties depending on the pressure and temperature. They are all listed under "Phases" in the Wikipedia article linked above (wp:Ice#Phases).

ZooGuard (talk)06:06, 26 July 2012
 

Well, seawater is denser than fresh water (enough to affect the loading capacity of cargo ships - see wp:Waterline#Standard load line marks for an amusing bit of trivia), so an iceberg displaces a slightly smaller volume of seawater than it would if it was floating in fresh water.

ZooGuard (talk)06:02, 26 July 2012

Well, salinity aside, of course, as that has even more fun effects.

Scarlet A.pngd hominem10:23, 26 July 2012
 
 
 
 
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