Ice floats on water because

Options

A. solids have lesser density than liquids
B. it has open cage like structure in which lesser molecules are packed per mL than water
C. of hydrogen bonding ice is lighter than water
D. when ice is formed water , molecules come closer and start floating

Answer

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Structure of Water**:
- Water (H₂O) consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. The molecules are held together by hydrogen bonds, which are relatively strong intermolecular forces.

2. **Behavior of Water Upon Freezing**:
- When water freezes, it undergoes a phase change from liquid to solid. During this process, the water molecules arrange themselves in a specific manner due to hydrogen bonding.

3. **Formation of Open Cage-like Structure**:
- In the solid state (ice), water molecules form an open cage-like structure. This arrangement is less dense than the more closely packed arrangement of water molecules in the liquid state.

4. **Density Comparison**:
- Density is defined as mass per unit volume. Since ice has a larger volume for the same mass compared to liquid water, it has a lower density. This is why ice floats on water.

5. **Evaluating the Options**:
- **Option 1**: "Solid have lesser density than liquid" - This is incorrect because most solids, including ice, are denser than their liquid counterparts.
- **Option 2**: "It has open cage-like structure in which lesser molecules are packed per milliliter water" - This is correct, as the open structure of ice leads to lower density.
- **Option 3**: "Of hydrogen bonding, ice is lighter than water" - This is misleading; while hydrogen bonding contributes to the structure, it is the arrangement that leads to lower density.
- **Option 4**: "When ice is formed, molecules come closer and start floating" - This is incorrect; molecules do not come closer in ice; they actually move apart due to the open structure.

6. **Conclusion**:
- The correct answer is **Option 2**: Ice floats on water because it has an open cage-like structure that results in lower density compared to liquid water.