NAEP Science Grade 12

Category - Earth Science

Water in its solid form is less dense than water in its liquid form. This characteristic is primarily a result of the:
  1. Rigid three-dimensional structure of ice that keeps water molecules from getting too close to each other.
  2. High viscosity of liquid water that makes its molecules more closely packed than other liquids.
  3. Internal kinetic energy of ice that keeps the molecules in ice relatively far apart due to their rapid vibration.
  4. High heat capacity of liquid water that allows it to store energy with only a small change in volume.
Explanation
Correct Response: A. Unlike most other substances, water becomes less dense as it is cooled below freezing to form ice. The rigid crystal structure of ice makes it less dense than liquid water because molecules in liquid water are constantly changing position and maximizing hydrogen bonding between water molecules. This allows liquid water molecules to pack more closely than water molecules that are frozen into a crystal structure. Viscosity is a measure of the internal friction of a substance and the viscosity of water (B) is not a factor directly responsible for the relatively low density of ice. Although the water molecules in ice are constantly vibrating (C), it is not that characteristic of ice that is responsible for its low density. The high heat capacity of liquid water (D) results from the hydrogen bonding between water molecules and is not directly the cause of ice's low density.
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