HOW LESS DENSITY OF ICE IS BENIFICIAL FOR AQUATIC LIFE IN WATER BODIES ?

THIS QUES. BELONGS TO HYDROGEN CHAPTER.

SIR PLZ TELL COZ I DONT THINK MY TEACHER WAS RIGHT IN HIS ANS. PLZ TELL THE CONCEPT

Liquid water is most dense, essentially 1.00 g/cm³, at 4 °C and becomes less dense as the water molecules begin to form the hexagonal crystals of ice as the temperature drops to 0 °C. This is due to hydrogen bonds forming between the water molecules, which line up molecules less efficiently (in terms of volume) when water is frozen. So when water is frozen, these solidified water molecukes occupy a large volume and have a relatively lesser mass than water. So, the density of ice is lesser than water.

This is useful for aquatic organisms which are prevalent in Tundra regions as ice after getting solidified during winters, starts to float on water and prevents further solidifcation of the water below. So, there is water underneath the ice caps. This helps marine life to survive underwater during winters.

Approved