1.2M
IT3D molecular visualisation - Water turning into ice - via CSIRO's Data61
Remix of a video posted by @ani_machins
Credit: Michael Kuiper from CSIRO’s Data61 demonstrates molecular visualisations
When water molecules freeze, they undergo a phase transition from a liquid to a solid state. This process involves several key steps:
Slowing Down: As the temperature of water drops, the kinetic energy of its molecules decreases. At around 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit), water molecules start to slow down significantly.
Hydrogen Bonding: In liquid water, water molecules are in constant motion, forming and breaking hydrogen bonds with neighboring molecules. As the temperature drops, these hydrogen bonds become more stable.
Hexagonal Structure: Water molecules arrange themselves into a hexagonal lattice structure as they continue to lose energy. Each water molecule is hydrogen-bonded to four neighboring water molecules, forming an open, hexagonal lattice.
Expansion: As water freezes, it undergoes an increase in volume, which is why ice is less dense than liquid water. This is because the hexagonal arrangement of water molecules creates open spaces in the crystal lattice.
Solid Ice: The result of this process is the formation of solid ice, with water molecules locked into a fixed, crystalline structure. This structure is responsible for the solidity and hardness of ice.
#visualisation #molecule #water #ice #science
@itsthemind
