Question

debrow, josiah
chemistry jmbk 2025 - 26
sea ice provides a habitat for many organisms living at the earths poles. what property of water makes this possible?
ice floats on liquid water, because water is less dense as a solid.
sea ice cannot break the surface tension of liquid water.
ice has a higher density than liquid water, preventing it from sinking.
sea ice is made possible because of waters low specific heat.

Explanation:

Water has a unique property where its solid form (ice) is less dense than its liquid form. This is due to the hydrogen - bonding structure in ice, which creates a more open lattice compared to liquid water. As a result, ice floats on liquid water. If ice were denser (like most substances where the solid is denser than the liquid), it would sink. In polar regions, the floating ice provides a habitat. Surface tension (related to cohesive forces at the surface of a liquid) is not relevant here as the question is about why ice floats. Also, water has a high specific heat (not low), which is related to temperature regulation, not floating.

Answer:

Ice floats on liquid water, because water is less dense as a solid.