Why Does Ice Float in Water?
Videos
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Chemistry, Earth and Space Sciences
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by TED-Ed
What it is
- This brief video describes the unique properties of water molecules and the reason for a less dense solid structure (ice) as compared to the liquid form.
- Students will learn about hydrogen bonds, how temperature and kinetic energy affect those hydrogen bonds in water molecules, and the importance of water and floating ice to all life on Earth.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This video provides nice animations showing how water molecules move at different temperatures and how they bond with other water molecules.
- It also does a good job of connecting the importance of less-dense ice for living systems.
Prerequisites
- Students should be familiar with some basic chemistry concepts, including atomic structure, polarity, and bonding.
Differentiation & Implementation
- This is a great resource to tie into lessons on the water cycle and the amplification of the water cycle due to increases in global temperatures.
- It can also be a great transition into how the reduced albedo effect from melting ice caps and glaciers is accelerating climate change, particularly in polar regions.
- Teachers can combine this video with the interactive news article Sea Change: How Melting Ice Is Disrupting the World's Oceans to connect what they have learned about ice to climate change impacts.
From the scientist review
This resource provides deep insights into the importance of water in liquid and solid states. The resource underscores ice formation, reaction, processes in the change of state, and a chemical composition that is different from other variable gases. Students can explore this resource as there is no contradiction in the content. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Ready to use it?
Hosted on ed.ted.com
Want this to fit your class?
Add your location for local examples, questions, and action ideas.
