What is the anomalous expansion of water? Please explain.
What is the anomalous expansion of water? Please explain.
A common trend seen in substances throughout is the fact that all substances expand when they are heated and their density decreases and vice versa.
The anomalous expansion of water is an abnormal property of water whereby it expands instead of contracting when the temperature goes from 4oC to 0oC and it becomes less dense. The density becomes less and less as it freezes because molecules of water normally form open crystal structures when in solid form.
The effect of this expansion of water is that the coolest water is always present on the surface. Since water at 4°C is the heaviest, this water settles on the bottom of the water body and the lightest ie the coolest layer accumulates on the top layer. So in the winter, the top of the water is always the first to freeze over. Since ice and water both are bad conductors of heat, this top layer of ice insulates the rest of the water body from the cold of the winter, thereby protecting all the life in the water body. Now you can truly comprehend how essential the anomalous properties of water are for life.
A common trend seen in substances throughout is the fact that all substances expand when they are heated and their density decreases and vice versa.
The anomalous expansion of water is an abnormal property of water whereby it expands instead of contracting when the temperature goes from 4oC to 0oC and it becomes less dense. The density becomes less and less as it freezes because molecules of water normally form open crystal structures when in solid form.
The effect of this expansion of water is that the coolest water is always present on the surface. Since water at 4°C is the heaviest, this water settles on the bottom of the water body and the lightest ie the coolest layer accumulates on the top layer. So in the winter, the top of the water is always the first to freeze over. Since ice and water both are bad conductors of heat, this top layer of ice insulates the rest of the water body from the cold of the winter, thereby protecting all the life in the water body. Now you can truly comprehend how essential the anomalous properties of water are for life.
