Properties Of Water

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the
temperatures of animals and the environment.
Water also has a very high heat of vaporization. Converting one gram of
cold water into ice requires 80 Calories of energy. Converting the same amount
of very hot water into steam requires 540. The high amounts of energy required
to change water from its liquid state make water tend to stay a fluid. The
process of freezing water involves slowing down the activity of the water
molecules until they contract and enter into a solid state. Once the ice is
cooled down to 4 degrees or less, the hydrogen bonds no longer contract, but
they become rigid and open, and the ice becomes less dense. Because the ice has
become less dense, it floats on liquid water. Water freezes from the top down.
Once the top freezes, it acts as an insulator, so that the water beneath it
takes a very long time to cool off enough that it freezes. This also traps just
enough warmth to keep marine animals alive during the winter.
The process of ...

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