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because the earths heat revolves in a circle, hot on bottom and cold on top. when the lake freezes the coldness freezes the cold first and takes a longer time freezing the hot(bottom) because it is warmer.
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∙ 11y ago
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∙ 12y agoIce, being frozen water, is one of the few things that actually expand when frozen. Since it expands, it is less dense than the water, therefore floating. It forms on the top because that is the most exposed to the cold.
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∙ 10y agoOne of the unusual properties of water is that it is actually less dense when it turns from a liquid to a solid - hence the reason ice floats on water. In its liquid phase water is actually at its maximum density at around 4 degrees C and then undergoes a slight decrease in density towards 0 degrees (then a large decrease upon freezing).
This means that water at 4 degrees C is more dense and will tend to sink below water at a lower temperature. As such water less than 4 degrees C will float on top of the slightly warmer water and will be nearer the surface of the pond and so will freeze first.
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∙ 12y agoIt's because ice is less dense than water, therefore it floats, this helps the species of the lake survive in winter time because the ice acts as an insulator.
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∙ 15y agoWater expands when it freezes, therefore it is less dense and floats to the top. The ground can also sink coldness away from layers of water on the bottom of the lake.
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∙ 15y agobecause ice is less dense than liquid water. Water expands as it freezes so, even if it started freezing at the bottom, the ice would flow up to the top.
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∙ 14y agoBecause water is heaviest at +4 degrees centigrade, and lighter as ice.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoThe cold air hits the top first and makes its way down
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Does the top of a lake freeze at 4 celsius?
No.
Why don't lakes freeze solid?
Lakes freeze from the top down. Some lakes do freeze all the way to the bottom. The layer of ice and the less dense water below 4oC on the top provides an insulation to prevent the heat in the lower levels from escaping and the lower water does not freeze unless it looses this heat. A long enough, cold enough winter will remove the heat (this is simple thermodynamics) and the entire lake will freeze. Small lakes freeze faster - big lakes slower.
How would life in a lake be affected ice sank and lakes froze from the bottom up?
#1- Its would take longer that usual to freeze the lake ( depending the depth ) #2- The life at the botton of the lake would die from the coldness and then the other life at the top would die cause if the top DOESNT freeze then nope of the life dies
What Great Lake does not freeze?
Salt Lake
Which would freeze at a higher temperature the great salt lake or Lake Tahoe?
lake tahoe would freeze at a higher temperature
Why Lakes Only Freeze on The Surface?
to freeze water it has to be at least 0 degres celcius. if it was -10 degres celcius then the water in a lake might only freeze 2 cm. the colder it gets the thicker the ice becomes but in this contry, or any other contry, it will never become cold enough to freeze all of the lake right down to the bottom.
Does lake walloon freeze over?
yes
WHEN Does CoeurdAlene Lake Idaho freeze over?
No
When the water of lake is going to be freeze then what was the temperature of the lake water?
0 degree celsius
When did lake worth Texas lake freeze over?
December 1983
How is ice floating on water helpful to fish that live in a lake?
The fact that ice floats means that the lake probably will not freeze solid all the way down. There will still be liquid water at the bottom of the lake where the fish can stay alive all winter.
Does lake superior freeze?
no the don't I have been the lake Michigan and it has little waves im pretty sure they don't freeze unless there in a harbor
