7 Properties of Water

Adhesion

Adhesion- water sticks to other surfaces Rivers wouldnt flow correctly if there wasn't cohesion

Capillary Action

Caused by cohesion and adhesion The ability of liquid to flow against gravity in a narrow space How water flows up the xylem of trees to get water to the leaves

Cohesion

Cohesion happens due to hydrogen bonding interactions water can stick to itself How water is able to flow and stick to surfaces

High Surface Tension

Created by cohesion and adhesion working together The hydrogen bond interactions are stronger at the surface due to water interacting with only the air above and not other molecules Molecules at surface exert more force on each other because they're not making hydrogen bonds (energy has to go somewhere else) Bugs floating on water

Universal solvent

Water can dissolve many ionic and polar molecules This supports life because this is how organisms absorb nutrients

High Specific Heat

Water requires more heat energy for the temperature to change Bodies of water absorb and release heat slowly creating a moderate environment for organisms This creates a high heat of vaporization (takes a while for water to evaporate) Helps regulate our climate Reason why the earth doesn't burn up

Low Density as a Solid

When water reached its freezing point, water molecules arrange themselves into an orderly structure leaving more space between them which creates a low density as a solid ~Ice creates an insulating barrier for the water below it so organisms can survive underneath