All mysteries
Mystery #1Tier 2water

Why does ice float?

Almost every solid sinks in its own liquid. So why does ice, which is just frozen water, float on top of liquid water? Water is the oddball here. Why?

An iceberg photographed from below the waterline, showing how much sits underwater
Photo: Andreas Weith · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

Your guess

What's your hunch? What makes ice float when most solids sink?

There's no single magic word to type, have a go in your own words, then reveal the answer to see how close you got.

Make a guess to unlock the hints and the answer.