preview

Properties of Water Essay

Good Essays

Properties of Water Water is essential for life as we know it on earth. It is used by plants and animals for basic biological processes which would be impossible without the use of water. The origin of all life can be traced back to the water in the Earth's precambrien seas. Water is also the universal solvent. It reacts with more elements and compounds than any other substance known to man. Water is a polar molecule made up of on atom of hydrogen and two atoms of oxygen. It is attracted to itself by hydrogen bonds. Hydrogen bonds are weaker than covalent bonds, but collectively these bonds hold water together and give it its cohesiveness. These bonds are also very important to water's ability to absorb heat, as without …show more content…

This also traps just enough warmth to keep marine animals alive during the winter. The process of turning water into steam is a different story. Because it requires the breaking of water's hydrogen bonds, this process takes far more energy than it does to turn water into ice. The extra energy that is used in converting water into steam helps keep the overall temperature from getting too hot. In this manner water regulates the temperature of both animals when they sweat, and the earth through evaporation. Water affects the earth's ecosystems in very important ways as well. When water in the earth's saltwater bodies evaporates into the air. This water vapor then cools off, becomes liquid again, and then falls as rain or snow. The salt is left behind, and the resulting precipitation helps replenish the water in lakes, streams, rivers, and the groundwater supply. However, all of this water eventually flows down to the level of the oceans, and the cycle begins again. Because of this cyclical pattern, water is consided to be a renewable resource. However, some chemical impurities can remain with the water, even through the process of evaporation. These remain in the water and cause problems until they are either filtered out by natural or artificial processes, or until they are diluted enough that they are no longer a problem. Of all the water on the earth, only three percent is fresh. Of that three percent, only 1/3 is considered safe for

Get Access