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When water freezes, rigid hydrogen bonds between water molecules are formed.

Each Oxygen atom in the ice lattice has 4 bonds. 2 covalently bonded hydrogen atoms, and 2 hydrogen bonds ('H-Bonds'). These hydrogen bonds are slightly longer than the covalent bonds, and hold the H2O molecules apart.

When the ice melts, the rigid hydrogen bonds collapse and molecules move closer together. Normally when solids melt, the molecules move slightly further apart, and hence the liquid is less dense than the solid.

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15y ago

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