text: how is that we can smell cold water but hot water the most?   this has to do with what is called diffusion.  molecules in a gas or liquid medium spread out so that they are dispersed evenly throughout the whole medium.  as molecules in the water move around, some escape into the air.  the moecules move slower when they are cold then when they are hot.  in addition, less molecules escape when the water is cold than when it is hot.  anyway, when the cold water molecules escape into the air, they diffuse out.  when water is hot or boiling, steam is formed.  at this rate, more water molecules escape and the ones that do move faster because they contain added energy from the heat.  the cold water molecules are fewer and slower; therefore, they take longer to diffuse to the air in and around your nose.  the hot water molecules are more numerous and move more quickly; therefore, they are quicker to diffuse to the air in and around your nose.  i hope this helps.