What type of bonds are being broken when you melt ice?

1 Answer
Meave60
Dec 12, 2016

Hydrogen bonds. Hydrogen bonds are relatively weak bonds, and don't involve the sharing or transfer of electrons. The bond between each oxygen and hydrogen atom is a polar covalent bond, which involves the unequal sharing of electrons.

Explanation:

Water molecules are polar. The oxygen atom has a partial negative charge #(delta^-)# and the hydrogen atoms have a partial positive charge #(delta^+)#. Because of this, water molecules are attracted to one another. The hydrogen end of one molecule is attracted to the oxygen end of another molecule. This is called a hydrogen bond.

http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/H/hydrogen_bond.html

The following diagram shows the hydrogen bonds that at its freezing point cause the water molecules to form a crystalline structure, increasing volume, and decreasing density. Water is at its lowest density at #0^@"C"#, allowing it to float on liquid water.

http://www.800mainstreet.com/08/0008-0012-interforce.html

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