Ice vs.

liquid water
The H bonds are 'forced' to be longer in ice, due to the rigid lattice structural arrangement in solid ice.
No such rigid lattice arrangement occurs in liquid water, which means closer proximity, and therefore
shorter (hence stronger) H bonds, are possible for liquid water.
The difference in lengths of the H bonds in solid vs liquid water, is unlikely to be part of the Cambridge
mark scheme (at least for the Singapore syllabus). The exact H bond length in solid ice, also depends on
the exact cystalline form of ice, for which over a dozen different forms have been identified.
The so-called 'open structure' of ice, refers to the fact that there are lots of empty (or 'open') spaces
between the H2O molecules in solid ice. In contrast, there is very little empty space between H2O
molecules in liquid water.
Why? Because H2O molecules are forced to spread apart with some distance between them, in the fixed
lattice (ie. regular repeating patterns) crystalline structures in solid ice (analogy : 100 disciplined soldiers
doing a weapons precision drill parade, would have to keep some distance apart from each other and
occupy a huge space in an open field), while in the liquid state, the H2O molecules are milling in close
contact with each other, with no fixed lattice structure (analogy : 100 frenzied women now squeezing
chaotically at some super discount sale in some small clothes/shoes departmental store).
This is the reason why solid ice is less dense than liquid water.

The answer should be BaCO3.

Although both BaSO4 and BaCO3 are insoluble (ie. sparingly soluble) at neutral pH, in acidic pH only
BaCO3(s) undergoes a reaction to generate the toxic Ba2+(aq) ions.
The solubility of BaSO4 remains largely unchanged with pH, since Ba(OH)2 and H2SO4 are both
considered strong base and strong acid respectively, hence there is little common ion effect or shifting
of positions of equilibrium.
The reaction of BaCO3(s) is as follows :
CO3 2- carbonate(IV) ions function as Bronsted-Lowry bases, and are protonated in acidic pH to generate
H2CO3 carbonic(IV) acid, which exist in equilibrium with, and hence can decompose into, CO2(g) and
H2O(l). Because CO2(g) leaves the reaction mixture, it pulls the position of equilibrium over to the right,
as predicted by Le Chatelier's principle. Furthermore, non-gaseous reactants generating a gaseous
product implies a positive entropy change of reaction, which is thus thermodynamically favourable and
thermodynamicaly driven.

The toxic Ba2+(aq) is thus freed from the solid BaCO3(s) lattice structure, and available to do its
merciless, murderous, lethal work coursing through the arteries and veins of the helpless rodent, who
will soon experience multiple organ failure and die a terrible, excruciating, shrieking, convulsive, woeful
death. The counter anion for the Ba2+(aq) ion, would be the Cl-(aq) ions of the HCl(aq) acid in the rat's
stomach.