Structure of Water
Liquid water
The water molecule is made up of two hydrogen atoms that are joined together by a single chemical bond to an oxygen atom. The nucleus of the majority of hydrogen atoms is made up entirely of protons. Water contains two isotopic forms, deuterium and tritium, in which the atomic nuclei also contain one and two neutrons, respectively. Deuterium oxide (D2O), also known as heavy water, is used in chemical research and as a neutron moderator in some nuclear reactors.
Hydrogen atoms in water molecules are drawn to areas with high electron density and can form weak bonds, known as hydrogen bonds, with those areas. This means that the hydrogen atoms in one water molecule are attracted to the nonbonding electron pairs of an adjacent water molecule’s oxygen atom. The structure of liquid water is thought to be made up of aggregates of water molecules that constantly form and re-form. Other unusual properties of water, such as its high viscosity and surface tension, are explained by this short-range order.
Structure and Properties of Water
Water is a valuable natural resource. Water is essential for the survival of all living things. We can’t imagine a world without water. Water is required by animals and plants to complete their daily metabolic activities. Water is required by plants to synthesize their food through the photosynthesis process. We can all go days without food but cannot imagine going days without water; without water, even plants dry out and shed their leaves.
Table of Content
- Water
- States of Water
- Physical Properties of Water
- Chemical Properties of Water
- Structure of Water
- Structures of ice
- Significance of the structure of liquid water
- Importance of Water
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