SCS-2005-12

Water and Me Series

What is Water?
Monty C. Dozier
Assistant Professor and Extension Water Resources Specialist

Water is found everywhere — in the air, on and under the ground, in living things, in the soil and even combined with
different minerals in rocks. Covering nearly three-fourths of the earth’s surface, water supports all life on earth. It has
caused the rise and fall of great civilizations and has been a major force shaping the face of the earth. Water determines the
climate, assists in the formation of soil, generates hydroelectric power and serves as a major conveyance system of goods
and services throughout the world. Water is an indispensable part of nearly all manufacturing and chemical processes.

Water is used everyday for drinking, cooking, washing and recreation. Have you ever stopped to think about water and
what makes it such a unique substance?

Although many substances may look like water, nothing else on earth has
properties like those of water. Some of the properties include:

6 Strong attraction between water particles

6 Almost universal dissolving ability
6 Large heat-holding capacity
6 Great expansion when frozen

Some terms and definitions that you need to be familiar with before starting the activities below include:

Element matter composed of one atom type

Molecule smallest physical unit of an element or compound
Compound molecule with two or more elements
Surface Tension surface film on water
Universal Solvent water, dissolves many substances
Hydrogen Bond bonding force that holds water molecules together
Atom smallest particle of an element having the chemical properties of that element

Activity
Fill a glass or cup with water and take a close look at it.

Describe the smell

Describe the taste

Describe the color

You have probably noticed that water has no odor, taste and
color (unless something has been added to it). Most other liquids have a
distinct odor, taste and color. Liquids such as alcohol, white vinegar, gasoline and kerosene may look like water, but they
have very different properties.

-
Dip your finger into the water and notice that a drop of water clings to your finger. This single drop contains millions of
water particles called Molecules
Molecules.

O
Water is composed of one atom of the element Oxygen and two atoms of the element
Hydrogen
Hydrogen.

H H
Water is a simple compound, but because of the molecule structure, it has many unique

+
properties.

The oxygen end of the molecule has a negative (-) charge, while the hydrogen end has a
positive (+) charge. This produces a very strong attraction between water molecules. They + +
act like small magnets. The positive end of a water molecule is attracted to the negative end
of another water molecule. The bond that holds them together is called the Hydrogen +
-
bond.
- +
Water vapor is water in its gaseous form. When heated, water molecules begin to separate +
-
and do not bond to each other because of the heat energy that surrounds the molecules.
+
Water in its liquid form has many hydrogen bonds that bind the molecules in the liquid state. This explains why water is a
fluid, or able to flow. Water being siphoned out of a glass is an example of this property.

In the crystalline state, water loses greater energy, and the bonds cluster tightly together in a lattice type of arrangement.
When the temperature of water reaches 39 degrees Fahrenheit (F), it is at its greatest density. As the temperature falls
below freezing (32 degrees Fahrenheit), the water begins to expand.

The strong attraction between water molecules, caused by hydrogen bonding, produces what scientists call Surface
Tension Film
Film. Water molecules form a layer or film on the water’s surface. This film creates a bound-
ary between air and water.

Activity
1. Place a drop of water on wax paper and push the drop around with a toothpick. Describe the action.

2. Pull the toothpick through the water drop. Describe the action.

Page 2
 Does the water drop appear to stretch? Why or why not?
3. Dip the toothpick into liquid detergent and touch it to the drop. Describe the reaction.

What does the detergent do to the surface tension film?

Activity
1. Place a sewing needle on a small piece of tissue paper. Fill a shallow tray or bowl
with water. Place the tissue and needle on the water’s surface. With a pencil,
carefully push the tissue under the water, being sure not to touch the needle.
Describe the results.

The needle does not float but actually lies on top of the water. What causes this?

2. Dip a toothpick into liquid detergent and dip it into the water near the needle. Describe and explain the reaction.

The surface tension film is surprisingly strong. Try using different objects (paper clip, sand, metal shavings) to see if the
surface film will support them.

Water is called the Universal Solvent

Solvent. A solvent is a liquid that dissolves substances. The
dissolving power of water is determined by two basic factors: (1) the nature of the sub-
stance being dissolved and (2) the temperature of the water.

The number of different substances dissolved in seawater is a good example of the

dissolving power of water. There are approximately seventy ele-
ments and thousands of compounds found in seawater.

Page 3
USING AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OR A BOOK ON OCEANOGRAPHY, MAKE A LIST OF THE
10 MOST ABUNDANT OCEAN ELEMENTS.

LIST REASONS WHY THE DISSOLVING PROPERTY OF WATER IS IMPORTANT TO US.

Activity
Dissolve a teaspoon of each of the following substances in a cup of warm water. Record how each
dissolves in the chart below. (Good = dissolves quickly, Fair = dissolves slowly, Poor = no
noticeable dissolving)

Substance How It Dissolves (Good, Fair, Poor)

Sugar

Salt

Baking Soda

Vegetable Oil

How does water dissolve something? Water molecules act like cowboys cutting cattle from a
herd. They separate and surround the molecules of the substances as they are dissolved.

If the molecules are large and strongly bonded together, as with gelatin, the substance will
not dissolve easily. If the molecules are complex, as are oil molecules, water
molecules are actually repelled and no dissolving occurs. In fact, if
allowed to settle, oil molecules will separate from the water molecules.
Which will be on top, the oil or water?
Page 4
Although water cannot dissolve everything, many substances will dissolve more easily in hot water than in cold water. The
process of dissolving requires energy. Hot water has more energy than cold water. Investigate this fact with the following
activity:

Activity
Add a level teaspoon of sugar to one cup of hot water . Stir until all of the sugar is dissolved.
Continue adding sugar, one teaspoon at a time, until no more dissolves. Record the number of
teaspoons of sugar dissolved.

Repeat the activity above but use ice water in place of hot water. Record the number of teaspoons of sugar dissolved.

Describe the difference in the dissolving power between hot and cold water. Why is there a difference?

There is another interesting fact about water that involves heat. Water can store a great deal of heat energy, which means
that water has a large heat capacity
capacity. When water gets hot, heat that is stored is slowly released. As a result, large
bodies of water can affect the climate of coastal areas. Winter temperatures along the coast are generally warmer than
those farther inland. Try the next activity to find out what affects the cooling rate of water.

Time (minutes) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Temperature

Large Container

Small Container

How does the amount of water affect the cooling rate?

If water loses enough heat, it will eventually freeze. Water’s unique property of expanding
when frozen separates it from all other liquids. Other liquids contract when frozen, taking
up less space and becoming denser than the liquid state. Ice takes up more space
and is less dense than liquid water.

Since it is less dense than liquid water, ice floats. This means that
bodies of water freeze from the top down. This is fortunate for the
Page 5
earth. The layers of ice that form on lakes, rivers and cold oceans act as an insulator, preventing the water below from
freezing.

If bodies of water were to freeze from the bottom up, the earth’s climate would change drastically. Much of the earth’s
water would be locked up in ice and much of the earth would become barren wasteland, not to mention the affect this
would have on fish and other aquatic organisms.

Activity
Fill a small, disposable plastic or paper container with water (DO NOT USE GLASS). A used pint milk
carton is fine. Seal the container and place it in a freezer overnight. Examine it the next day and describe
the results.

Explain what happens to the container.

Make a list of the beneficial and damaging effects of ice expansion.

Beneficial Damaging

There are several other important properties of water:

6 Relative high melting and boiling points

6 Large amount of energy required to separate atoms of water molecule; however, a small amount of energy
recombines them

6 Unique ability to climb inside small tubes

6 Poor conductor of electricity (pure water)

As you can see, water is a very special substance. Life on earth cannot exist
without it and many of the earth’s processes depend on it. There are many
more interesting facts about water. If you want to learn more
about water, visit your local or school library.
Page 6
Water Facts
Water consists of one atom of and two atoms of

Why are water molecules attracted to each other?

What is the bond called that holds water molecules together?

In which state (liquid, gas, solid) are water molecules closest together?

What produces the surface tension film on water?

Why is water called the universal solvent?

List two factors that affect the dissolving power of water?

Page 7
This publication was funded by the Rio Grande Basin Initiative administered by the Texas Water Resources Institute of Texas
Cooperative Extension, with funds provided through a grant from the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Agreement No. 2001-45049-01149.

This material adapted from “What is Water," Virginia Cooperative Extension Service, 4-H Marine Project,
December 1987.

For additional information visit:: http://soilcrop.tamu.edu or http://water.tamu.edu or

http://waterandme.tamu.edu

Produced by Soil and Crop Sciences Communications • The Texas A&M University System • 979.862.3796

Educational programs of Texas Cooperative Extension are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age or national origin.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Acts of Congress of May 8, 1914, as amended, and June 30,
1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. Edward G. Smith, Interim Director, Texas Cooperative Extension Service, The
Texas A&M University System.

Visit our website for additional information:

http://waterandme.tamu.edu
http://water.tamu.edu
http://twri.tamu.edu