Explain the anomalous (unusual) expansion of water

      

Explain the anomalous (unusual) expansion of water.

  

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Moraa
The Unusual expansion (anomalous) expansion of water:

It is normal experience that substances expand on heating and contract on cooling. But for water, this is never to be between the temperatures 0oC and 4oC. Water can exist as a solid (ice), liquid (liquid water) and as a gas (steam).
At temperatures below 0oC, water exists as a solid, occupying a bigger volume. When heated, it expands just like
any other solid up to 0oC. At 0oC, ice melts at constant temperature. Melting is accompanied by a decrease in volume by about 8%. Beyond 0oC, water contracts further up to 4oC. Therefore water has minimum volume at
4oC and hence maximum density which is slightly higher than 1 g/cm3.
Above 4oC, water expands like any other liquid. This behavior of water is described as anomalous, unusual, or irregular.
Moraa orina answered the question on April 6, 2018 at 17:44


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