How to Measure the Density of Solid Water

Ice appears in nature in familiar forms such as snow, hail, pack ice, glaciers and polar ice caps. Less well known are the remarkable properties of water that derive from intermolecular "hydrogen bonding." Although weak, the hydrogen bond is crucial in controlling the structures of both water and ice. Water is the only known non-metallic substance that expands upon freezing, producing a solid phase that is less dense than the liquid. This is why ice floats. Ice can form at least 15 different crystalline structures, including one that is similar to diamond.

Things You'll Need

  • Electronic weight scale
  • 100 ml graduated cylinder
  • 100 ml beaker
  • Tongs
  • Isopropyl alcohol
  • Ice cubes
  • Facial tissue
  • Electric hotplate or range
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Instructions

    • 1
      Beaker with blue liquid

      Add about 2 ml of alcohol to the beaker and clean the inside with the tissue. Be sure the beaker is dry before you proceed.

    • 2

      Pack the beaker with ice cubes up to, but not past, the 100 ml mark. Use the tongs to handle the ice--do not use your fingers.

    • 3
      Electronic weight scale

      Zero the scale and weigh the beaker to highest accuracy. Note the weight.

    • 4

      Place the beaker on the hotplate and apply low heat until the ice has just melted. Remove the beaker immediately.

    • 5
      Graduated cylinder

      Weigh the cylinder and note the weight.

    • 6

      Pour the water into the cylinder, taking care that none remains in the beaker. Wait about a half-hour, or until the water is at room temperature.

    • 7

      Raise the cylinder to place the water mark directly in front of your best-trained eye. The volume is the cylinder mark corresponding to the curved surface of the water, called the meniscus. Note the volume, which is the volume of ice.

    • 8

      Weigh the cylinder and note the weight. Subtract the empty cylinder weight to arrive at the weight of ice, and note the result.

    • 9

      Calculate the density of ice using the following formula:

      Density of ice = weight of ice/volume of ice.

      The result is expressed in grams per ml. For most practical purposes, this is equivalent to grams per cubic centimeter.

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