Outline of water

Water drop animation

Water molecule (1)

Sea water Virgo

Boiling water

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Eis-3

Outline of Water

Water is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms. It is vital for all known forms of life, even though it provides no calories or organic nutrients. Its chemical formula is H2O, meaning that each of its molecules contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms, connected by covalent bonds. Water appears in nature in all three common states of matter and may take many forms on Earth: liquid, solid (ice), and gas (steam or vapor).

Properties

Water is a polar inorganic compound that is at room temperature a tasteless and odorless liquid, which is nearly colorless apart from an inherent hint of blue. This is due to the absorption and scattering of light. The most unique property of water is its ability to dissolve a large variety of chemical substances such as salts, sugars, acids, alkalis, some gases, and organic compounds such as alcohol and many others.

Occurrence

Water covers 71% of the Earth's surface, mostly in seas and oceans. Small portions of water occur as groundwater (1.7%), in the glaciers and the ice caps of Antarctica and Greenland (1.7%), and in the air as vapor, clouds (formed of ice and liquid water suspended in air), and precipitation (0.001%).

Water Cycle

The water cycle describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth. The water moves from one reservoir to another, such as from river to ocean, or from the ocean to the atmosphere, by the physical processes of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, runoff, and subsurface flow. This cycle is essential for the maintenance of life and ecosystems on Earth.

Uses

Water is used in various ways at both the domestic and industrial level. It is essential for drinking, washing, agricultural irrigation, hydroelectric power generation, and industrial cooling, among other uses.

Conservation

Water conservation refers to the preservation, control, and development of water resources, both surface and groundwater, and prevention of pollution.

Pollution

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies, usually as a result of human activities, by substances harmful to living organisms. Water pollution can affect drinking water, rivers, lakes, and oceans all over the world, which consequently harms human health and the natural environment.

Management

Water resource management is the activity of planning, developing, distributing, and managing the optimum use of water resources. It is a sub-set of water cycle management and aims to improve the current and future availability of water for the welfare of both human society and the environment.