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NatureSurprise 5/5Difficulty 3/5Reviewed on September 14, 2026

Water is the only substance that expands when it freezes.

Why it is true

Water is one of the few substances that expands when it freezes. Unlike most liquids, water solidifies into an open crystalline structure that takes up more space than in the liquid state, which is why ice floats.

Source: USGS

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