Water is the foundation of life on our planet. However, what do we know about her? This substance with a simple chemical formula can be studied indefinitely. In the entire centuries-old history of the existence of mankind, water has occupied a dominant place. That is why, rushing into the vastness of the Universe, scientists are trying to find sources of water on other planets that would be a testament to biological life. Unfortunately, such attempts are still futile. Despite numerous studies and discoveries, we have not proved the existence of other civilizations, which are perhaps many times superior to us in their development.
Water is the foundation of our existence
Rarely, one of us asks: “What is water?” But without it, human life is simply impossible. Science claims that a six-month-old human embryo is 97% water, at birth its amount drops to 92%, the body
a teenager contains 80% of this substance, in adulthood these figures are 70%, and in the elderly - only 60%. This shows a certain pattern that allows us to come into this world young and full of strength and leave it, having lived to a very old age. You can adhere to all kinds of diets, completely abandon meat, bread and dairy products, but it is impossible to exclude water from the diet. With severe thirst, the volume of water in the body decreases by 5-8%, while a person has hallucinations, swallowing function, vision and hearing are disturbed, and fainting occurs. A more serious lack of fluid can cost health and even life. The importance of water for a person is so great that we can no longer imagine our life without this multifunctional substance. And many of us take its presence for granted, while forgetting to carefully treat this life-giving and healing source. Water is a universal solvent for all nutrients and minerals, as well as amino acids and vitamins. It is able to regulate the temperature of our body, remove vital products and various toxic components from the body. It is with the help of water that our muscles perform their main function - contractile. No wonder the diet of athletes always contains an increased amount of fluid. What is water in our everyday life? This is one of the main and indispensable foods. Every morning we start with a cup of aromatic coffee or freshly brewed tea, which is simply impossible to make without water, like most of our favorite dishes. Scientists have proved that in order to maintain health, a person should consume up to 2.5 liters of fluid per day - this will provide him with good health, activate mental activity and give strength.
Where does the water come from?
Our planet contains about 1,500 million km 3 of water, of which only 10% is fresh water. Many sources are located under the earth's crust at various depths - this allows them to be divided into underground and surface waters.
In the bowels of the earth, such pools have the form of peculiar vessels that are surrounded by solid rocks and contain water under high pressure. Reservoirs located at a depth of several meters are widely used as the basis for wells. However, such water is constantly in contact with the upper loose soil layer, which makes it contaminated and not always suitable for household needs. The glaciers of Antarctica, located in Greenland, are huge sources of fresh water. In addition, precipitation, which is formed due to the evaporation of natural sources, plays a large role in our lives. And how much annual water do we get from the oceans using various physical and chemical methods? It should be noted that most often a person uses water from lakes and rivers for his needs. Baikal alone is worth it! After all, this is the cleanest and largest natural reservoir located in the vastness of Russia. Such tanks have no value and are a true wonder of the world. More than 6000 km
3 of water is found in living organisms, including plants. Thus, the natural resources of water are distributed throughout our planet. A person constantly exchanges fluid with nature: through sweat, urine and the release of droplets of fluid with breathing. However, few people ask: “What will happen if such mutual exchange ceases?” In this case, dehydration occurs - the process of
dehydration of the body. We will begin to feel weak, our heart rate will increase, shortness of breath and dizziness will appear. As a result of this,
irreversible processes may occur in the nervous and cardiovascular systems, which will lead to the death of our body.
Water in nature
If you look at the Earth from space, you can be amazed at how this heavenly body was unreasonably called. The most suitable name for it is Water. It is not just that astronauts compared the planet with a blue ball, since ultramarine is able to suppress all colors that are inherent in the earth's surface.
The ocean is the mother of all living organisms, and many scientists insist that the first life could have originated in the aquatic environment. In a relatively small and enclosed body of water, certain organic substances could accumulate, which got there with the help of flowing waters. Then, such compounds were concentrated on the inner surface of the layered mineral, which could act as a reaction catalyst. Subsequently, a new unexplored life arose, which people still had to study. Today, water in nature is considered the most common substance, since more than 70% of the total earth's surface is occupied by natural reservoirs and only about 30% is land. Water is so multifunctional that people have learned to use it in almost all areas of their lives. We all love to soak up a warm sand near the sea and look forward to a well-awaited vacation in order to return to the gentle embrace of playful and gentle sea waves.
Natural Water Classes
Water happens:
- fresh - 2.5%;
- salty - 97.5%;
- in the form of brines.
Considering that about 75% of the water is frozen on polar caps and glaciers, about 24% of the underground water is underground and 0.5% of the moisture is dispersed in the soil, so it turns out that the cheapest and most affordable source of water for us is the lakes , rivers and other land bodies of water. It is scary to think that they make up only about 0.01% of the world's water reserves. Therefore, the question "what is water?" you can safely answer - this is the most precious treasure of our planet.
Water features
The chemical formula of water is quite simple - it is a compound of an oxygen atom with two hydrogen atoms. It would seem that it could be simpler, but there is no substance more mysterious. Water is the only substance that can exist in nature in three states of aggregation: gaseous, solid and liquid, depending on pressure and temperature. This fluid is of great importance for the emergence and maintenance of life processes on Earth, as well as for the formation of climate and relief.
Water is the most mobile substance after air. She is constantly moving, making movements over very large distances. When exposed to solar heat,
water evaporates from the surface of plants, soil, rivers, ponds and seas. In this case, water vapor forms, which collects in clouds and is transported by the wind, after which it falls over various continents in the form of snow or rain. It should be noted that water is able to give off heat without significantly lowering its temperature, thereby regulating the climate. The molecular formula of water indicates that this substance has a simple structure, but so far it has been considered little studied, since there are still many unexplored oddities of this substance, which, perhaps, contribute to the maintenance of life on Earth.
Physical properties of water
Water, or hydrogen oxide, is a chemical substance that has the form of a colorless liquid that does not have a smell or taste. Under normal conditions, H2O (water) is stored in a liquid state of aggregation, while similar hydrogen compounds are gases. All this can be explained by the special characteristics of the atoms that make up the molecules, and the presence of bonds between them.
A drop of water consists of molecules that are attracted by opposite poles, thereby forming polar bonds, which are impossible to break without effort. Each molecule in its composition contains a hydrogen ion, which is so small that it can penetrate the shell of a negative oxygen atom located in a neighboring molecule. As a result, a hydrogen bond forms. The water scheme shows that each molecule has a strong bond with four neighboring molecules, two of which are formed by oxygen atoms, and the other two by hydrogen atoms. In addition, water has a high
surface tension, in this property it is second only to mercury. The relative viscosity of H2O is determined by the fact that hydrogen compounds do not allow molecules to move at different speeds. For the same reasons, water is considered an excellent solvent, since each molecule of the soluble substance is immediately surrounded by water molecules, and in large quantities. In this case, positively charged molecular regions of the polar substance attract oxygen atoms, and negatively charged ones attract hydrogen atoms.
What does water react with?
These are the following substances:
- active metals (calcium, potassium, sodium, barium and much more);
- halogens (chlorine, fluorine) and interhaloid compounds;
- salt;
- anhydrides of inorganic and carboxylic acids;
- active organometallic compounds;
- carbides, nitrides, phosphides, silicides, hydrides of active metals;
- silanes, borans;
- carbon dioxide;
- fluorides of noble gases.
What happens when heated?
Water reacts:
- with magnesium, iron;
- with methane, coal;
- with alkyl halides.
What happens in the presence of a catalyst?
Water reacts:
- with alkenes;
- with acetylene;
- with nitriles;
- with amides;
- with esters of carboxylic acids.
Density of water
The water density formula resembles a parabola with a specific peak at a temperature of 3.98 degrees. With such indicators, the density of this chemical is 1000 kg / m 3 . In a body of water, factors such as temperature, salinity, the presence of salts and pressure of the upper layers influence the density of water. Science has proven that the higher the temperature, the greater the volume of the substance and its lower density. Water has the same property, but in the range from 0 ° C to 4 ° C it does not hold, since the volume begins to decrease with increasing temperature. If there are no dissolved gases in the water, it can be cooled to a temperature of -70 o C, while it does not transform into ice. In the same way, this substance can be brought to a temperature of 150 ° C and it will not boil. Despite the fact that the formula of water is very simple, its properties have for many millennia forced people to worship this powerful element.
Health Benefits of Water
All tissues of the human body are made up of water: muscles, bones, lungs, heart,
kidneys, liver, skin and adipose tissue. Most of the liquid, namely 99%, contains the vitreous eye, and least of all, about 0.2%, tooth enamel. The brain is also rich in water content, because without this substance we will not be able to think and form information. Any biochemical reactions that occur in the body can optimally proceed only with sufficient water intake, otherwise the final metabolic products will accumulate in the tissues and cells, which will lead to the development of many serious diseases. To avoid this, the correct water intake must be observed.
The role of water in the body
Water contributes to:
- transportation to various organs and tissues of useful substances, trace elements and oxygen;
- the removal of toxins and salts;
- normalization of heat transfer;
- regulation of blood formation and blood pressure;
- lubrication of joints and muscles.
Dehydration symptoms
With dehydration, the following phenomena are observed:
- drowsiness, weakness;
- dry mouth, shortness of breath;
- fever, headache;
- violation of logical thinking, fainting;
- muscle cramps;
- hallucinations;
- dullness of vision and hearing;
- the formation of cholesterol plaques, impaired blood flow;
- joint pain.
Possible diseases with dehydration and water rate
The following diseases may develop:
- arthritis;
- heartburn, gastritis, constipation;
- the formation of stones in the gallbladder;
- obesity.
Daily recommended to drink up to 2.5 liters of liquid, including those contained in liquid food. If a person smokes, eats meat, drinks alcohol and coffee, he should increase the daily rate of water, as these inclinations contribute to increased dehydration. After a good night's rest, all life processes in our body are gaining strength, which is why you should support your body and create an additional water reserve for it. In the afternoon, when we have a peak in activity, it is better to take the liquid in small portions so as not to overload the internal systems and organs. In the evening, it’s worth removing all restrictions and drinking as much as you want, naturally, if there are no health problems.
Should I drink food?
The daily norm of water should be distributed evenly, it is especially useful to drink a little liquid before a meal in order to normalize metabolic and purification processes, as well as lower blood concentration and cholesterol. Doctors do not recommend drinking food, because in this case, the gastric juice is diluted, and the process of digesting food slows down. A lack of water in the body can lead to stress, as a result of which hunger signals will enter the brain, although a person has recently eaten. As a result, he will eat again instead of replenishing his fluid supply. At this point, excess nutrients will be deposited in the form of fat, which in the future may adversely affect the general condition. Drinking enough water daily can suppress hunger and reduce the amount of foods consumed, especially fatty ones. It should be noted that juices and tea cannot fully replace pure water, since they contain active substances that can disrupt the chemical composition of our body. Carbonated drinks, consisting of harmful chemical compounds, can provoke additional dehydration.
Interesting Facts
1. In the body of animals and plants, the average amount of water is more than 50%.
2. The Earth's mantle contains 10 times more water than in the oceans.
3. The average depth of the oceans is 3.6 km, it covers up to 71% of the entire surface of the Earth and contains about 97.6% of free water reserves.
4. In the absence of bulges and depressions on Earth, the surface of the water would rise 3 km above the land.
5. If all the glaciers had melted, the water level would rise by 64 m, as a result of which 1/8 of the land would be flooded.
6. Sea water has an average of 35% salinity, which allows it to freeze at a temperature of -1.91 ° C.
7. In some cases, water may freeze at a positive temperature.
8. Inside the nanotubes, the water formula changes; its molecules take on a new state, which allows the liquid to flow even at zero temperature.
9. Water can reflect up to 5% of the rays of the sun, and snow - more than 85%, however, only 2% of daylight can penetrate the ice.
10. Pure ocean water has a blue color, due to its selective absorption and dispersion.
11. Using water droplets that drip from the tap, a voltage of about 10 kilovolts can be reproduced.
12. Water is one of the few natural substances that can expand during the transition from a liquid to a solid state.
13. Water vapor and water can burn in combination with fluorine, such mixtures in high concentrations become explosive.
Finally
What is water? This is a diverse, although simplest compound, which is the main building material of our planet. No living organism can live without water. It is a source of energy, a storage medium and a real storehouse of health. Even our distant ancestors believed in the miraculous power of water and used its healing qualities in the treatment of many ailments. The task of our generation is to preserve this beautiful element in its pristine condition. We can do a lot to make our descendants feel relatively safe. By conserving water, we will save life on our wonderful and warm planet. People, take care of the water! It cannot be replaced even by all the treasures of the world. Water is a reflection of the state of our planet, its heart and life-giving force.