Describe an experiment to show the expansion of water when it freezes - Junior Cycle Science - Question b - 2006
Question b
Describe an experiment to show the expansion of water when it freezes.
You may include a labelled diagram if you wish.
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Describe an experiment to show the expansion of water when it freezes - Junior Cycle Science - Question b - 2006
Step 1
Fill a bottle with water
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Begin by taking a suitable bottle, preferably made of plastic or glass. Fill the bottle with water, leaving some space at the top to allow for the expansion that occurs when water freezes.
Step 2
Put the bottle in a freezer
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Carefully place the filled bottle in a household freezer. Ensure that the temperature is well below the freezing point of water (0°C or 32°F).
Step 3
Observe the bottle bursting
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After a few hours, check the bottle. You should notice that the bottle has either burst or is showing signs of deformation due to the ice expanding as it forms. This demonstrates that water expands when it freezes.
Step 4
Alternative observation with ice
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Instead of using a bottle, you can observe the behavior of ice in water. Place ice cubes in a container filled with water. Notice that the ice cubes float, indicating that ice has lower density compared to liquid water, which is another demonstration of the expansion property.
Step 5
Conclusion on density
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Answer
This experiment illustrates the unique property of water where it expands upon freezing, causing ice to be less dense than liquid water, thus allowing it to float.
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