At which of the following temperatures, will water have the maximum density?
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A.
10 oC
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B.
0 oC
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C.
16 oC
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D.
4 oC
Correct Answer:
B. 0 oC
Explanation:
The density of water is unique because it reaches its maximum at 4 degrees Celsius. While most substances contract and become denser as they cool, water follows this pattern only until it hits 4 degrees Celsius. Below this temperature, water begins to expand and its density decreases as it approaches its freezing point. This anomaly occurs because hydrogen bonds begin to form a structured, open hexagonal lattice as water nears freezing, which takes up more space than the disordered arrangement of molecules in liquid water. Consequently, water is most compact and at its highest density at 4 degrees Celsius.
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