when ice forms, the __________ are farther apart than in liquid water, allowing the ice to form an organized crystal structure and float.

When ice forms, the hydrogen bonds are farther apart than in liquid water, allowing the ice to form an organized crystal structure and float. This arrangement causes the water molecules to be pushed farther apart compared to the liquid phase, creating a less dense structure. The result is an open, hexagonal crystal lattice with near tetrahedral bonding angles, which holds the molecules in a rigid, organized structure that is less dense than liquid water, allowing ice to float on it.