Ice

Definition

Water in the solid phase, where cohesion dominates and molecular motion is restricted primarily to vibration, giving a defined shape and volume.

In ice the ordered arrangement of the Hydrogen-Bond Network spreads molecules slightly farther apart than in liquid water. This explains why ice floats, why pipes burst when water freezes, and why snowflakes form with six pointed symmetry. Each snowflake is a frozen record of water’s molecular structure.

Related concepts

Cohesion · Phase Change · States of Matter

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Part of The Blueprint of Water · 🧪 chemistry