I See I-CE!

Water is an unusual molecule, for reasons we'll talk about soon. One of its weird properties is that it expands (grows) when it freezes. Most liquids contract (shrink). In this experiment, you'll compare the freezing behavior of water to that of olive oil.

What you'll need:

2 empty cans of the same size
marker

water

olive oil

freezer

Fill one can to within 1/2" (1 cm) of the top. Make a mark on the outside of the can to show where the water level is. Do the same thing with the other can and olive oil. Try to get close to the same amount of liquid in each can. Place both cans in the freezer and leave overnight. The next day, check to see whether the liquid has expanded or contracted. What did you find?