Question

why ice floats on water although liquid generally have lower density than solids

Answer 1

Water has different two different densities as liquid water and as frozen solid water ie ice.

In ice the hydrogen bonding in water forms a crystalline lattice structure. This structure spaces the water molecules further apart compared to water molecules in liquid water.

Thus the volume of water increases, for the same weight(mass) of water. At 4 degrees Celsius water has the maximum volume


When water freezes, water molecules form a crystalline structure maintained by hydrogen bonding. Solid water, or ice, is less dense than liquid water. Ice is less dense than water because the orientation of hydrogen bonds causes molecules to push farther apart, which lowers the density

Hope this will help you.... ✌

Answer 2

When water freezes, water molecules form a crystalline structure maintained by hydrogen bonding. Solid water, orice, is less dense than liquid water. Iceis less dense than water because the orientation of hydrogen bonds causes molecules to push farther apart, which lowers the density.