8 Main Properties of Water

Bipolarity of
Water

Universal
Solvent

-A water molecule
is asymmetrical
-Due to this, it
makes the oxygen
atom have a
negative charge,
and the hydrogen
atoms a positive
charge

-Water is capable of
dissolving a variety
of different
substances, more
than any liquid
-Water is called the
Universal Solvent
-Waters chemical
composition makes
it such a good
solvent

-This is called
Bipolarity, and it
causes the water
molecules to attract
in close proximity
-Water molecules
have a polar
arrangement of the
oxygen (negative)
and hydrogen
(positive) atoms,
making it attracted
to many types of
molecules

Cohesion/Adhe
sion

Cohesion: Water is
attracted to water.
Water is sticky and
clumps together
into drops
Adhesion: Water is
attracted to other
substances. The
attraction between
water molecules
and other
molecules

High surface
tension
-Water has high
attraction of
molecules for each
other
-Due to this, water
has a higher
surface tension
compared to other
liquids
Because of this:
Insects can walk on
water, Rain drops
can form, and we
can see ripples on
the surface of water

High Specific
Heat Capacity

Capillary Action High

Transparency

Lower Density
Of Ice

-Water has a high

specific heat capacity,
meaning it can take
in a lot of energy
without boiling away.

-Capillary action is
the movement of
water within the
spaces of a material
due to forces of

-Water expands when

freezing, causing
icebergs to float
-When water freezes,
it crystallizes into an

-Electrons in water
act in a similar way to
visible light so they
dont absorb most of
the light

-Because of this,
water can moderate
bodys internal
temperature, and
moderate earths
climate

adhesion, cohesion,
and surface tension
-Occurs because
water is sticky

-Instead they allow it

to pass through
-This is a key factor in
ocean ecology

open hexagonal form,

which contains more
space than the liquid
state