Physical Properties of Water Water is one of the most abundant substances on earth, covering over 70% of the earths

surface. It is vital to the survival of all living things and is a major component of cells. It has innumerable applications from sports and recreation to industry to domestic uses. The reason water is so ubiquitous and widely applicable is because of its unique physical properties. These properties will be discussed below. Water first and foremost is a polar substance. It consists of two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen. These atoms have very different electronegativities and so form a very unbalanced electron distribution in the molecule. This creates a highly polar substance that experiences massive intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Water owes its unique physical properties to its polarities. Water (when pure) is a colorless, odorless and tasteless substance at standard temperature and pressure (STP). Water is transparent. Water can exist in all three states of matter: solid, liquid and gas. It is the only naturally occurring substance that can do so at temperatures normally found on earth. Incorporated in the changes of state are massive amounts of heat exchange. This feature plays an important role in the redistribution of heat energy in the Earths atmosphere. Water freezes at 0oC (32oF or 0oK) at sea level. Water boils at 100oC (212oF or 373oK) at sea level. Water (when pure) has a pH of 7. It is a neutral substance. Water is a universal solvent. Its polarity enables it to dissolve numerous substances. It dissolves salts, sugars, acids, alkalis and some gases. It is however not a good solvent for compound with covalent bonds like oils. Water exhibits anomalous expansion as it freezes. Between 4oC and 0oC, it expands. This helps to protect the aquatic life in water bodies that freeze during cold winters. Water has a maximum density of 1g/cm3 at 3.98oC (39.16oF). Water has a molecular weight of 18 and a molar volume of 55.5 moles/liter. Water has a very high surface tension of 73 dynes/cm at 20oC. (1 dyne = 10-5N) Waters high surface tension due to hydrogen bonding. This gives it additional characteristics of adhesion, cohesion and capillary action.

 Water has a very high specific heat capacity 4.22kJ/kg K. In fact it has the second highest heat capacity of any known substance. This enables it resist changes in temperature. This characteristic is important in homeostasis of living organisms. Water conducts heat more easily than any liquid except mercury. It has a heat conductivity of 0.60 W/m K. This fact causes large bodies of liquid water like lakes and oceans to have essentially a uniform vertical temperature profile. Water however has a low electrical conductivity that increase significantly with the dissolution of a small amount of ionic material like sodium chloride. The triple point of water (the point at which all three phases of water can exist simultaneously in thermodynamic equilibrium) occurs at 273.16oK and 4.6 torr. Water has a vapor pressure of 0.0212atm at 20oC. Water has a heat of vaporization of 40.63kJ/mol. Water has a heat of fusion of 6.013 kJ/mol. Water has a dielectric constant of 78.54 at 25oC. Water has a viscosity of 1.002centipose at 20oC.