Why it is important for life on earth for water to expand when it freezes?

The fact that water expands when frozen is also really important to life on Earth. Because it expands, ice takes up more space than water (it is less dense). This causes the ice to float on water. If the ice were not there, many of these organisms would freeze.

How would the world be different if ice was denser than water?

This allows many aquatic life forms to survive through the winter. If ice were more dense than water, it would freeze and sink over and over until the entire lake was frozen. This would eliminate many aquatic organisms and produce a system with far fewer life forms in lakes which freeze periodically.

What happens to water when frozen?

When liquid water is cooled, it contracts like one would expect until a temperature of approximately 4 degrees Celsius is reached. After that, it expands slightly until it reaches the freezing point, and then when it freezes it expands by approximately 9\%.

What would happen to aquatic life if water contracts on cooling till 0 C and expands on heating?

aquatic life will persist.

What happens when water becomes denser?

Water unlike most substances gets less dense when it freezes. This causes ice to float, which is a very important property for life as we know it. If water became denser as it froze, then ice would sink.

What would happen if water did not expand when it freezes?

If water did not expand when frozen, Earth would be a different place. If water contracted when frozen, it would be more dense than the surrounding water and sink. This would leave ice submerged and out of reach of sunlight, while freezing fish and animals living at or near the bottom.

Why don’t lakes and rivers freeze solid?

The key thing to consider here is that water’s expansion when freezing is what allows ice to float. The fact that ice remains on top of water is what prevents lakes and rivers from freezing solid.

What would happen if the water in a lake expanded?

Water has a paradox effect when frozen and expands. Most everything else contracts. Imagine a lake freezing. As the ice froze, it would sink to the bottom of the lake. The warmer water would be at the surface. Lakes would freeze solid. From the bottom up. Ice skating on lakes would be less common. Ice fishing would not be possible.

What would happen to the physics of water if it froze?

If the physics of water chsnged, it would get really weird when water froze because it would probably sink. Water has a paradox effect when frozen and expands. Most everything else contracts. Imagine a lake freezing.