When water freezes, the volume of water increases because:

by

A. Water expands when solidifying
B. Water becomes heavier
C. Ice becomes denser
D. Molecules compress closer

  1. Water expands when it freezes because its molecules form a special crystal structure called ice, which takes up more space than liquid water.
  2. This unusual property makes ice less dense than liquid water, allowing it to float on lakes and rivers, helping aquatic life survive in winter.
  3. The expansion can cause pipes to burst and rocks to crack during freezing, showing how important this feature is in nature and daily life.