Unique properties: solubility, surface tension and capillarity
Point 4 of 8 — The Molecular Structure of Water, Its Unique Properties and Water SustainabilityQuestion bank: 0 questions (0 with pictures)
04Unique properties: solubility, surface tension and capillarity
Universal solvent for polar and ionic substances. Water molecules surround ions with their oppositely charged ends (hydration shells) and pull them apart; NaCl dissolves, while non-polar oils and fats do not — "like dissolves like". Ions are thereforeelectrolytesand conduct the current.
Cohesion and adhesion. Hydrogen bonds hold water molecules together (cohesion) and to the walls of a xylem vessel or a glass tube (adhesion). Together they give high tensile strengthto the water column.
Surface tension lets a needle float, makes water striders walk on ponds, and produces the beading of droplets on a waxed surface. Detergents lower surface tension and allow water to wet grease.
Capillarity raises water in the fine tubes of plant xylem and in soil, counter part of transpiration pull.
Thermal buffering. High specific heat moderates coastal climates and keeps the body temperature constant; high latent heat of vaporisation makes sweating an effective cooling mechanism.
Transparency to visible light lets algae and aquatic plants photosynthesise, while water absorbs infrared and ultraviolet — the protection of organisms below the surface.
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