To be an effective coolant, a substance has to have a high specific heat capacity, meaning it can absorb a

lot of heat. It also has to be nontoxic, or non-posionous. It also needs to be fairly common, which
would mean since it is readily available, the cost should be fairly low. Water meets all these
requirements. It is one of the most common compounds on Earth, covering nearly seventy-five percent
of Earth's surface. It has a relatively high specific heat capacity, meaning it can transfer a lot of heat
without breaking down itself. Water also has a low viscosity. Viscosity is a liquid's resistance to flowing;
water flows quite easily. Water fits comfortably in at a 7 on the pH scale, meaning it is neither basic nor
acidic in it's ability to act as either substance.

Metals are so reactive that they react vigorously and exothermically with water. In some cases the heat
generated is sufficient to ignite the metal. In general the reactions of metals with water produce
hydrogen gas and the hydroxides of the metals. Metals with moderate to low reactivity react very
slowly with water. However, they react moderately with steam when heated and give hydrogen gas and
metal oxides. Metals low in the metal reactivity series do not react with water even at high
temperature.