which statement helps to explain why ice is less dense than liquid water?

The statement that helps to explain why ice is less dense than liquid water is: "Water molecules make hydrogen bonds at definite angles." This is because in ice, water molecules form a crystal lattice structure due to hydrogen bonding at specific angles, creating more open space and making it less dense. The hydrogen bonds in ice hold the molecules in a rigid, hexagonal arrangement with empty spaces between, whereas in liquid water, the bonds are more flexible allowing molecules to be packed closer together. This arrangement in ice causes it to take up more volume and thus have a lower density than liquid water.