How does temperature affect density?

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Temperature affects density primarily through the expansion of materials when heated, leading to an increase in volume while mass remains constant, resulting in decreased density. In constrained environments, such as gases in a metal tank, temperature changes can alter pressure without affecting density. Notably, water behaves differently; when it freezes, it expands, causing its density to decrease, which is why ice floats on water. This phenomenon highlights the unique properties of water compared to most substances. Understanding these principles is essential in fields like physics and engineering.
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How does temperature affect density?
 
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When an object heats up, it expands (usually). The expansion makes the volume increase. Since the mass doesn't change and the volume increases, the density, which is mass/volume, decreases.
 
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If the volume is constrained (eg gas in a metal tank) changing the temperature doesn't alter density (but it might change the pressure).

When water freezes it actually expands slightly and the density goes down not up as you would expect...this explains why ice floats.
 

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