Background: Liquid water is a fluid. The hydrogen bonds in liquid water constantly break and reform as the water molecules tumble past one another. As water cools, its molecular motion slows and the molecules move gradually closer to one another. The density of any liquid increases as its temperature decreases. For most liquids, this continues as the liquid freezes and the solid state is denser than the liquid state. However, water behaves differently. It actually reaches its highest density at about 4°C.

Situation: Joe is at a party and carrying around a can of beer that he has had in his hand for awhile. He bumps into Sally, and they begin chatting. During their conversation, Sally notices the beer in Joe's hand, and remarks that a beer sounds like a good idea. She heads over to the refrigerator and grabs a nice cold one and pops it open. She takes a sip while the two continue their chat.

Question: The molecules in whose can of beer are moving slower?
Answer: Sally

Situation: Joe is at a party and carrying around a can of beer that he has had in his hand for awhile. He bumps into Sally, and they begin chatting. During their conversation, Sally notices the beer in Joe's hand, and remarks that a beer sounds like a good idea. She heads over to the refrigerator and grabs a nice cold one and pops it open. She takes a sip while the two continue their chat.

Question: The molecules in whose can of beer are moving faster?
Answer: Joe

Situation: Joe is at a party and carrying around a can of beer that he has had in his hand for awhile. He bumps into Sally, and they begin chatting. During their conversation, Sally notices the beer in Joe's hand, and remarks that a beer sounds like a good idea. She heads over to the refrigerator and grabs a nice cold one and pops it open. She takes a sip while the two continue their chat.

Question: Which person's beer has molecules closer together?
Answer: Sally

Situation: Joe is at a party and carrying around a can of beer that he has had in his hand for awhile. He bumps into Sally, and they begin chatting. During their conversation, Sally notices the beer in Joe's hand, and remarks that a beer sounds like a good idea. She heads over to the refrigerator and grabs a nice cold one and pops it open. She takes a sip while the two continue their chat.

Question: Which person's beer has molecules farther apart?
Answer: Joe

Situation: Joe is at a party and carrying around a can of beer that he has had in his hand for awhile. He bumps into Sally, and they begin chatting. During their conversation, Sally notices the beer in Joe's hand, and remarks that a beer sounds like a good idea. She heads over to the refrigerator and grabs a nice cold one and pops it open. She takes a sip while the two continue their chat.

Question: Is Joe's beer more or less dense than Sally's beer?
Answer: less

Situation: Joe is at a party and carrying around a can of beer that he has had in his hand for awhile. He bumps into Sally, and they begin chatting. During their conversation, Sally notices the beer in Joe's hand, and remarks that a beer sounds like a good idea. She heads over to the refrigerator and grabs a nice cold one and pops it open. She takes a sip while the two continue their chat.

Question: Is Sally's beer more or less dense than Joe's beer?
Answer: more

Situation: Helen is working in the kitchen when she goes to the freezer to get some ice cubes. There is only one ice cube left so she takes it out and sets it in the glass on the table. She then refills the ice cube tray with water and sticks it back in the freezer.

Question: Is the density of the water increasing or decreasing?
Answer: increasing

Situation: Helen is working in the kitchen when she goes to the freezer to get some ice cubes. There is only one ice cube left so she takes it out and sets it in the glass on the table. She then refills the ice cube tray with water and sticks it back in the freezer.

Question: Is the density of the ice cube increasing or decreasing?
Answer: decreasing

Situation: Helen is working in the kitchen when she goes to the freezer to get some ice cubes. There is only one ice cube left so she takes it out and sets it in the glass on the table. She then refills the ice cube tray with water and sticks it back in the freezer.

Question: Are the molecules in the ice cube moving closer together or farther apart?
Answer: farther apart

Situation: Helen is working in the kitchen when she goes to the freezer to get some ice cubes. There is only one ice cube left so she takes it out and sets it in the glass on the table. She then refills the ice cube tray with water and sticks it back in the freezer.

Question: Are the molecules in the water moving closer together or farther apart?
Answer: closer together

Situation: A waitress sets down two cups of water at a table and then takes the table's order. She leaves to place the order and the diners begin chatting and sipping on their water. Kim remarks that her water is room temperature and she wishes that it was cooler. Janet states that her water is so cold it hurts her teeth and wishes hers was warmer. They agree to mention it to the waitress when she returns.

Question: Which person's water has molecules moving slower?
Answer: Janet

Situation: A waitress sets down two cups of water at a table and then takes the table's order. She leaves to place the order and the diners begin chatting and sipping on their water. Kim remarks that her water is room temperature and she wishes that it was cooler. Janet states that her water is so cold it hurts her teeth and wishes hers was warmer. They agree to mention it to the waitress when she returns.

Question: Which person's water has molecules moving faster?
Answer: Kim

Situation: A waitress sets down two cups of water at a table and then takes the table's order. She leaves to place the order and the diners begin chatting and sipping on their water. Kim remarks that her water is room temperature and she wishes that it was cooler. Janet states that her water is so cold it hurts her teeth and wishes hers was warmer. They agree to mention it to the waitress when she returns.

Question: Which person's water has molecules closer together?
Answer: Janet

Situation: A waitress sets down two cups of water at a table and then takes the table's order. She leaves to place the order and the diners begin chatting and sipping on their water. Kim remarks that her water is room temperature and she wishes that it was cooler. Janet states that her water is so cold it hurts her teeth and wishes hers was warmer. They agree to mention it to the waitress when she returns.

Question: Which person's water has molecules further apart?
Answer: Kim

Situation: Steve and Chris sit down at a new cafe that just opened up in town after hearing rave reviews of it at work. They look at the menus trying to decide what to order when a waiter shows up and asks if they would like anything to drink. Steve says he would like a glass of water that has molecules far apart. Chris orders water with molecules closer together. The waiter looks at them with a rather confused look and asks them to please elaborate.

Question: Who ordered colder water?
Answer: Chris

Situation: Steve and Chris sit down at a new cafe that just opened up in town after hearing rave reviews of it at work. They look at the menus trying to decide what to order when a waiter shows up and asks if they would like anything to drink. Steve says he would like a glass of water that has molecules far apart. Chris orders water with molecules closer together. The waiter looks at them with a rather confused look and asks them to please elaborate.

Question: Who ordered warmer water?
Answer: Steve

Situation: Steve and Chris sit down at a new cafe that just opened up in town after hearing rave reviews of it at work. They look at the menus trying to decide what to order when a waiter shows up and asks if they would like anything to drink. Steve says he would like a glass of water that has molecules far apart. Chris orders water with molecules closer together. The waiter looks at them with a rather confused look and asks them to please elaborate.

Question: Which person's water is closer to a solid state?
Answer: Chris

Situation: Steve and Chris sit down at a new cafe that just opened up in town after hearing rave reviews of it at work. They look at the menus trying to decide what to order when a waiter shows up and asks if they would like anything to drink. Steve says he would like a glass of water that has molecules far apart. Chris orders water with molecules closer together. The waiter looks at them with a rather confused look and asks them to please elaborate.

Question: Which person's water is further from a solid state?
Answer: Steve

Situation: Steve and Chris sit down at a new cafe that just opened up in town after hearing rave reviews of it at work. They look at the menus trying to decide what to order when a waiter shows up and asks if they would like anything to drink. Steve says he would like a glass of water that has molecules far apart. Chris orders water with molecules closer together. The waiter looks at them with a rather confused look and asks them to please elaborate.

Question: Whose cup of water is more dense?
Answer: Chris

Situation: Steve and Chris sit down at a new cafe that just opened up in town after hearing rave reviews of it at work. They look at the menus trying to decide what to order when a waiter shows up and asks if they would like anything to drink. Steve says he would like a glass of water that has molecules far apart. Chris orders water with molecules closer together. The waiter looks at them with a rather confused look and asks them to please elaborate.

Question: Whose cup of water is less dense?
Answer: Steve