water properties

Introduction

Water is an essential ingredient for the existence of life as we know it. Biochemical processes occur in aqueous environments, many of which use water. Water also plays a significant role in the process of photosynthesis ( 6 CO2 + 6H2O + 672kcal -> C6H12O6 + 6O2 ). Photosynthesis is the most basic and significant chemical reaction on earth, providing the primary nutrients, directly or indirectly, for all living organisms and is the primary source of atmospheric oxygen. Without water and its unique and unusual properties, life as we know it on earth would not exist. Water is the only substance naturally present on the earth that exists in three distinct states -solid, liquid, and gas. Many of the unique properties in the take for granted include the three physical phases, transparency, universal solvents, density behavior and temperature, high specific heat, high heat of vaporization, viscosity, surface tension and low compressibility. To understand why these prope...