WATER IS A POLAR MOLECULE

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 water¹s ability to absorb heat, as
without hydrogen bonds water would have a boiling point of -80 degrees C and a
freezing point of -100 degrees C.

In reality, however, water has a boiling point of 100 degrees C and a freezing point
of 0 degrees C. The amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of
water by one Celsius degree is called a Calorie. One Calorie is about twice as much
energy as you need to warm one gram of most other fluids by the same amount. This
makes water much better for regulating the temperatures of animals and the
environment.

WATER HAS A VERY HIGH HEAT OF VAPORIZATION

Water also has a very high heat of vaporization. Converting one gram of cold water
into ice requires 80 Calories of energy. Converting the same amount of very hot water
into steam requires 540. The high amounts of energy required to change water from its
liquid state make water tend to stay a fluid. The process of freezing water involves
slowing down the activity of the water molecules until they contract and enter into a solid
state. Once the ice is cooled down to 4 degrees or less, the hydrogen bonds no longer
contract, but they become rigid and open, and the ice becomes less dense. Because
the ice has become less dense, it floats on liquid water. Water freezes from the top
down. Once the top freezes, it acts as an insulator, so that the water beneath it takes a
very long time to cool off enough that it freezes. 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 water¹s 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’S ATTRACTION TO OTHER POLAR MOLECULES

I. COHESION
Cohesion, otherwise known as water's attraction to other water molecules, is one of the
major properties of water. Water's polarity lends it to be attracted to other water
molecules. The hydrogen bonds in water hold other water molecules together. Due to
water's cohesiveness:

 Liquid water has surface tension. This allows for insects, such as Water Striders, to
walk on water.

 Water is a liquid at moderate temperatures, and not a gas.

II. ADHESION
Water's attraction between molecules of a different substance is called adhesion. Water
is adhesive to any molecule it can form hydrogen bonds with. Due to water's
adhesiveness:

 Capillary action occurs. For example, when you have a narrow tube in water, the
water will rise up the tube because of water's adhesiveness to the glass "climbing"
up the tube.

WATER HAS A LOW DENSITY OF ICE

At cooler temperatures, the hydrogen bonds of water molecules form ice crystals. The
hydrogen bonds are more stable and will maintain its crystal-like shape. Ice—the solid
form of water—is less dense than water because of the hydrogen bonds being spaced
out and being relatively apart. The low density is what allows icebergs to float and are
the reason that only the top part of lakes are frozen.

WATER HAS HIGH SPECIFIC HEAT

Water can moderate temperature because of the two properties: high-specific heat and
the high heat of vaporization.

High-specific heat is the amount of energy that is absorbed or lost by one gram of a
substance to change the temperature by 1 degree Celsius. Water molecules form a lot
of hydrogen bonds between one another. In turn, a lot of energy is needed to break
down those bonds. Breaking the bonds allows individual water molecules to move freely
about and have a higher temperature. In other words: if there are a lot of individual
water molecules moving about, they’ll create more friction and more heat, which means
a higher temperature.

The hydrogen bonds between water molecules absorb the heat when they break and
release heat when they form, which minimizes temperature changes. Water helps
maintain a moderate temperature of organisms and environments.

Water takes a long time to heat up, and holds its temperature longer when heat is not
applied.