A glass vessel is filled with water to the rim and a lid is fixed to i

A glass vessel is filled with water to the rim and a lid is fixed to it tightly. Then it is left inside a freezer for hours. What is expected to happen ?

[amp_mcq option1=”The water freezes to ice and the level of ice comes down” option2=”The water in the glass vessel simply freezes to ice” option3=”The glass vessel breaks due to expansion as water freezes to ice” option4=”The water does not freeze at all” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC NDA-1 – 2016

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The correct option is C.

Unlike most substances, water expands when it freezes to form ice. Its volume increases by about 9% upon freezing. If a glass vessel is completely filled with water and tightly sealed, there is no space for this expansion to occur. As the water freezes in the freezer, the expanding ice will exert immense pressure on the rigid glass walls. Glass is brittle and cannot withstand this pressure, causing the vessel to break.

This property of water is why water pipes can burst in freezing weather if they are full and the water freezes inside. It is also why ice floats on water, as the expanded ice is less dense than the liquid water.

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