Across the northern part of our continent, many bodies of water are covered by a thick layer of ice for many months of the year. Which properties of water make it possible for life to continue to exist in those lakes? Water has a high specific heat in comparison to other substances. Water has a high solvent capacity for a variety of substances. Old water is denser than ice, so the ice floats to the top. a I only b I and II only c I and III only d I, II, and III