Ice is of course made of water, but there are some things that distinguish water and ice. Here are those differences, It explains why ice floats on water instead of sinking.

Bride, Let’s eliminate this question mark.

In fact, this situation has something to do with the density of water.

Water ice, the solid form of water, floats because it is less dense than its liquid form. Many other things, however, float It becomes denser in the solid phase. In other words, ice cubes float because of their molecular structure.

A water molecule (H2O), It consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Hydrogen and oxygen atoms form covalent bonds by sharing pairs of electrons.

The positive charge of a hydrogen atom is attracted to the negatively charged oxygen atom of another water molecule, and a hydrogen bond is formed between these molecules. When water freezes These hydrogen bonds virtually become a crystal lattice.

This is why icebergs float in the ocean even though they are 30 to 50 meters thick.

Actually, this is a good thing. Because floating ice allows life to develop and thrive beneath the frozen surface of lakes and oceans. Even if the ice sinks, This would be incredibly dangerous for creatures living in underwater habitats.

According to NASA’s Earth Observatory, ice is floating on the ocean surface It is also vital for ocean circulation. When water freezes, it releases salt, making the water below extremely salty and compact.

This dense water created by the ice sinks to the bottom of the ocean, pushing the deep water to the surface. It helps circulate ocean water around the world. In summary, the fact that ice floats on water instead of sinking brings many advantages.

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