What happens to the volume of water as it is cooled from 3 degrees Celsius to 1 degree Celsius?

Answer 1

Water is very unusual in that it's solid density is lower than that of it's liquid state (hence ice floats). As such when you increase the temperature of solid water (ice) and cause it to melt, it's volume will decrease and so it will become more dense. Increasing the temperature of the water continues to increase the density and decrease it's volume until around 4 degrees Celsius where it's density reaches a maximum (and so it has a minimum volume).

This fact allows bodies of fresh water such as lakes and ponds to freeze at the surface and remain fluid underneath as the warmer water is actually at a higher density and sinks to the base of the pond or lake.

Above this temperature, water begins to expand as it is heated resulting in a decrease in density and an increase in volume.

Answer 2

Water is most dense at 4 degrees C, after which the molecules will begin to arrange themselves in the open hexagonal structure. This will result in an increase in volume. Also, because the density is decreasing, using the formula for density: D = m/V Solving for V: V = m/D Because the mass remains constant, and the denominator, density, is decreasing, the volume will be larger.

Answer 3

The volume of the water is increased.