Each of water\'s emergent properties or functions arises due to the special stru

Question

Each of water's emergent properties or functions arises due to the special structure of the molecule causing it to be polar: . Cohesion/adhesion: due to H-bonding between water molecules themselves or a surface Moderation of temperature: H-bonds between water molecules release energy when formed and absorb energy when broken leading to water's high specific heat Solid form less dense than liquid form: at low temperatures the maximal number of H-bonds form between water molecules and the ordered structure required to form the H-bonds creates spaces between molecules Good solvent: water's polar nature means it has partial charges (positive and negative) that can interact with solutes that also have partial charges or with ions that . are fully charged

Explanation / Answer

Upon freezing water molecules form more hydrogen bonds than in water and eventually arrange themselves into an open crystalline, hexagonal structure (much more ordered than liquid state). This open and ordered structure causes the volume of water to increase by about 9%. Therefore upon freezing (liquid to solid) the density of water decreases. Water molecules are more tightly packed in liquid state than its solid state.

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