Here's the breakdown:
* Ice: Water molecules are arranged in a rigid, crystalline structure, held together by strong hydrogen bonds. This structure is less dense than liquid water, which is why ice floats.
* Melting: As ice absorbs heat, the molecules gain energy and start vibrating more rapidly. This causes the hydrogen bonds to weaken and break. The molecules become less organized, and the structure of ice collapses.
* Liquid Water: Water molecules in liquid form move more freely and are less tightly packed than in ice. They can slide past each other, making water a fluid.
So, the fundamental building blocks (H₂O molecules) stay the same. The change is in the arrangement and movement of those molecules.
