Water Properties and Types: A Comprehensive Resource

Understanding Water: Properties and Types

Water's States and Transformations

Water is a unique substance, commonly found in its liquid state, but it can also exist as a gas (water vapor) or a solid (snow, ice, hail). Its ability to change states with ease is fundamental to many natural processes.

• Liquid: Rain, seas, rivers
• Solid: Snow, ice, hail
• Gas: Water vapor

To transform liquid water into steam, you simply need to heat it. Conversely, to turn it into ice, you must cool it. A remarkable characteristic of water is that it expands when it freezes, which is crucial for aquatic life.

The Essential Water Cycle

In nature, the total amount of water remains almost constant because it follows a continuous circular path known as the Water Cycle. This cycle involves evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection, ensuring water's continuous movement across the Earth.

Water as a Geological Force

Water is a very important geological agent. Running along the Earth's surface, it drags rocks and stones that have been detached by chemical action and friction from other materials. These waters descend, forming outstanding grooves that grow into gullies and canyons. Throughout its course, water transports these materials, depositing the heaviest ones at the bottom. The sedimentation of these rocks and stones gives rise to a number of geographical features.

Chemical and Physical Properties of Water

Chemically, water is composed of two elements: hydrogen and oxygen (H₂O). Its density is approximately 1 gram per cubic centimeter (1 g/cm³). Water's freezing point is 0°C, and its boiling point is 100°C. A remarkable feature is that water reaches its maximum density at 4°C, meaning it occupies the same volume at this temperature as it does when it freezes, but is denser. This peculiarity has significant importance for the survival of aquatic animals, as it allows water bodies to freeze from the top down.

The chemical action of water depends on the type of terrain it interacts with. Some substances, like gypsum, common salt, and lime, dissolve easily in water. However, others, such as silicates, are more resistant to its solvent action. This solvent action is often reinforced by substances from the atmosphere, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, or by products of animal and plant decomposition.

Diverse Types of Water Explained

• Distilled Water

  Water that contains no dissolved salts or minerals.

• Freshwater

  Water that does not contain the high salt concentration found in seawater, typically found in rivers, lakes, and glaciers.

• Territorial Waters

  Waters that bathe the shores of a state and are subject to its jurisdiction up to a certain limit determined by international decree.

• Hard Water

  Water containing many dissolved minerals, particularly calcium and magnesium.

• Sewage Water

  Water that flows through city sewers, originating from households, rain, or industrial waste.

• Hydrogen Peroxide

  Water with an extra oxygen atom (H₂O₂), commonly used to disinfect wounds and kill microbes.

• Drinking Water

  Water safe for human consumption, free from poisonous substances and disease-causing microbes. Potable water supplied in cities often contains dissolved chlorine to eliminate harmful germs.

• Saltwater

  Water containing a high amount of dissolved salts, such as in seas and oceans.

• Surface Runoff Water

  Water from rain that flows over the surface without forming a defined channel. The geological action of this water is evident on slopes or elevated areas that lack vegetation and are formed of soft rock. In clay or limestone soils, water erodes the soil through the chemical action of contained substances. Carbonic gas-rich water dissolves limestone or clay, forming narrow channels and ridges separated by deep grooves. These grooves collectively form a distinctive arid landform called a "Lenar" (or "Lapiez").