Anamalous behaviour of water is exhibited by water between 00C and 40C in which the volume of given amount of water decrease with increase in temperature from 00C to 40C, and beyond 40C, the volume of given amount of water increase with rise in temperature.
This anomalous behaviour of water plays an important role in the survival of sea animals in cold water, as explained below :-
In winter, the temperature of surroundings falls, the water on the surface of lake cools towards 40C and becomes denser. It attains maximum density at 40C and sinks down. The warmer (i.e., less dense ) water present near the bottom of lake rises up. However, once the colder water on top of lake reaches temperature below 40C, it becomes less dense and remains at the surface of lake, where it freezes. Now the water at the bottom of the lake remains at 40C, in which the water animals can remain safe below the ice.