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A corked bottle full of water when frozen will break because
Explanation
When water freezes it undergoes anomalous expansion: the solid (ice) occupies a larger volume than the liquid. Textbook evidence states that water expands on freezing by about one‑tenth of its volume and can exert very large bursting pressures in confined spaces, enough to crack rock or containers [1]. A completely filled, corked bottle leaves no room to accommodate this volume increase; the internal pressure from the expanding ice stresses the glass until it fractures. Practical guidance likewise warns that freezing a completely filled bottle will crack it because water expands upon freezing and needs headspace to avoid rupture .
Sources
- [1] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: Weathering, Mass Movement and Groundwater > PHYSICAL OR MECHANICAL WEATHERING > p. 39
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