Chapter 15, Problem 81A

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation: To describe what might happen if you put a sealed glass container full of water into a freezer.

Concept Introduction: Ice has a lower density than water because its molecules are arranged into a hard tetrahedral structure, leaving cage-like voids in their bonds. However, water molecules continue to have linear bonds. Ice becomes less thick as its volume increases.

Answer to Problem 81A

Water expands when it freezes, therefore, the container might crack.

Explanation of Solution

A glass bottle that is full of water shouldn't be stored in the freezer since it could shatter and cause harm. It is known that water expands when it freezes. Thus, when a glass bottle was filled with water and put in the freezer, the water will freeze, expand, and cause the bottle to break.

The volume of the liquid increases even after it freezes, and ice is generated. The edges of the bottle are put under a lot of strain, which increases the possibility that the bottle will break.