Which of the following is a unique property of water compared to other liquids?

Explanation

Most liquids shrink and become denser when they freeze into solids. Water does the opposite by expanding when it turns to ice, making ice less dense than liquid water.

This unusual property happens because water molecules form an organized crystal structure when freezing. The molecules arrange themselves in a pattern with empty spaces between them, causing expansion.

Ice floating on water is proof of this expansion. If ice were denser than water, it would sink, and lakes would freeze from the bottom up, killing aquatic life in winter.