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What is the anomalous expansion of water?

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Normally as liquids cool, they reduce in volume (that is why old-fashioned thermometers work).  Water misbehaves. At around 4 degrees C it starts to expand, and continues to do so until it freezes (hence you get burst pipes). So far as we know, no other liquid behaves in this way.There isn't really a good explanation for why water behaves in this way, either.

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