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Key Properties of Water Explained

Water has unique properties that allow it to act as a solvent and sustain life. It has strong cohesive and adhesive properties that give rise to surface tension and capillary action. Water also has a high heat capacity due to hydrogen bonding between molecules, making it resistant to changes in temperature. Unlike most substances, water expands when freezing and is less dense as a solid. Salinity measures the total dissolved solids in water.

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163 views1 page

Key Properties of Water Explained

Water has unique properties that allow it to act as a solvent and sustain life. It has strong cohesive and adhesive properties that give rise to surface tension and capillary action. Water also has a high heat capacity due to hydrogen bonding between molecules, making it resistant to changes in temperature. Unlike most substances, water expands when freezing and is less dense as a solid. Salinity measures the total dissolved solids in water.

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What are the properties of water?

Water is a solvent of life!


Solute- substance dissolved in a solvent to form a solution
Solvent- fluid that dissolves solutes

Properties of water
Cohesion- water attracted to other water molecules because of polar properties
Adhesion- water attracted to other material
Surface tension- water is pulled together creating the smallest surface are
possible

Capillary actions
Because water has both adhesive and cohesive properties, capillary action is present.
Capillary action- waters adhesive property is the cause of capillary action. Water is attracted to some other
material and then through cohesion, other water molecules move too as a result of the original adhesion.

High heat capacity


In order to rise the temperature of water, the average molecule speed has to increase.

It takes much more energy to raise the temperature of water compared to other solvents because
hydrogen bonds hold the water molecules together.
Water has a high heat capacity

Density
Water is less dense as a solid! This is because the hydrogen bonds are stable in ice-each molecule of water
is bound to four of its neighbors.

Salinity
Salinity- total amount of solid material dissolved in water.

Can be detriment by measuring water conductivity


Typically expressed in parts per thousand

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