Water's Properties and Earth's Systems
Learning Objective
I can relate water's unique properties to its role in Earth's systems.
Key Concepts
Water molecules are polar, with a slightly negative charge on the oxygen atom and slightly positive charges on the hydrogen atoms, leading to hydrogen bonds between water molecules.
Water's high cohesion due to hydrogen bonds results in high surface tension, allowing some insects to walk on water, while adhesion describes water's attraction to other substances like glass.
Water is an amazing solvent because its polarity allows it to dissolve more substances than any other liquid, and substances that dissolve in water are called hydrophilic, while those that don't are called hydrophobic.
Practice Questions
This lesson includes 3 practice questions to reinforce learning.
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1. Explain how water's polarity contributes to its ability to dissolve a wide range of substances.
2. If ice were denser than liquid water, how would aquatic ecosystems be affected?
3. Which of the following properties of water allows insects to walk on its surface?
Educational Video
Water - Liquid Awesome: Crash Course Biology #2
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