Here's why:
* Chemical Composition: Both ice and water are made up of the same molecule: H₂O (two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom).
* States of Matter: Ice and water are different *states of matter* of the same substance. The difference lies in how the molecules are arranged and how tightly they are bound.
* Mass Conservation: The law of conservation of mass states that mass cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction. The change from water to ice or vice versa is a physical change, not a chemical change.
Key Point: The mass of a single water molecule (H₂O) remains constant regardless of whether it's in liquid (water) or solid (ice) form.
What changes is the density: Ice is less dense than water, meaning it has less mass packed into the same volume. This is why ice floats.
