Question

Fishes in river are able to survive in countries like Antartica because of

• A. High specific heat capacity of water
• B. Low specific heat capacity of water
• C. Medium specific heat capacity of water
• D. This statement is wrong

Answer 1

The correct option is A High specific heat capacity of water

Fishes in river are able to survive in countries like Antartica because of high specific heat capacity of water.

At 4 °C, water has the least volume (occupies the least amount of space) and maximum density (is at its heaviest). This irregular expansion of water is called anomalous expansion. This anomalous expansion plays an important role by only freezing the upper layer in lakes and rivers.

During winter months in colder countries the outside or atmospheric temperature is very low – it drops to below freezing – and the upper layers of water in the lakes and ponds start cooling. When the temperature of the surface layers falls to 4 °C, the water body acquires maximum density and sinks down. The water that sinks down displaces water below, and the lower layers of water simultaneously rise up. This also gets cooled to 4 °C and again sinks down.