Original Project
Atoms, Molecules, and States of Matter
All atoms and molecules are in constant motion.
Item AM057005: Liquid water takes the shape of a cup it is poured into but solid ice cubes do not, because the molecules of liquid water can easily move past one another but the molecules of solid ice cannot.
Why does liquid water take the shape of a cup it is poured into, but solid ice cubes do not?
- Because the molecules of liquid water are softer than the molecules of solid ice
- Because the molecules of liquid water are smaller than the molecules of solid ice
- Because the molecules of liquid water are moving but the molecules of solid ice are not
- Because the molecules of liquid water can easily move past one another but the molecules of solid ice cannot
Answer Choice |
Overall |
Grades |
Gender |
Primary Language |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 9721 |
6–8 n = 5245 |
9–12 n = 4430 |
Male n = 4654 |
Female n = 4903 |
English n = 8512 |
Other n = 1008 |
||
| A. | Because the molecules of liquid water are softer than the molecules of solid ice | 12% | 14% | 9% | 13% | 11% | 12% | 14% |
| B. | Because the molecules of liquid water are smaller than the molecules of solid ice | 10% | 10% | 10% | 11% | 9% | 10% | 15% |
| C. | Because the molecules of liquid water are moving but the molecules of solid ice are not | 35% | 36% | 33% | 34% | 36% | 35% | 37% |
| D. | Because the molecules of liquid water can easily move past one another but the molecules of solid ice cannot | 43% | 39% | 48% | 42% | 44% | 44% | 34% |