wiz-icon
MyQuestionIcon
MyQuestionIcon
1
You visited us 1 times! Enjoying our articles? Unlock Full Access!
Question

Liquids generally have lower density as compare to solids but you must have observed that ice floats on water find find out why?explain it briefly and in very easier manner

Open in App
Solution

The mass per unit volume of a substance is called density (density = mass/volume). As the volume of a substance increases, its density decreases.
Liquids have lower density than that of solids. Water is also a liquid so it should also have less density than that of solid that is ice.
Though ice is a solid, but it has a cage like structure hence there are large number of empty spaces between its particles. These spaces are larger as compared to the spaces present between the particles of water. Thus for a given mass of water, volume of ice is greater than that of water. Hence, the density of ice is less than that of water. A substance with lower density than water can float on water. Therefore, ice floats on water.

flag
Suggest Corrections
thumbs-up
15
Join BYJU'S Learning Program
similar_icon
Related Videos
thumbnail
lock
Relative Density
PHYSICS
Watch in App
Join BYJU'S Learning Program
CrossIcon