What Are the Characteristics of Water?
Last Updated Mar 31, 2020 3:49:42 AM ET
One of the unique characteristics of water is that it is found in three different states at surface temperatures of the Earth: gas, liquid and solid. Additionally, its specific heat capacity is much higher than that of other substances.
At 1 calorie per gram degrees Celsius, its heat capacity is five times higher than that of aluminum.
On account of the hydrogen bonds in the H2O molecule, water has a high boiling point, which makes it turn into water vapor at very high temperatures (212 degrees F). Water is also characterized by capillary action, a phenomenon that occurs when water climbs upward in small spaces, thus defying gravity due to forces of adhesion and surface tension.
More From Reference
Will 5G Impact Our Cell Phone Plans (or Our Health?!)
The Secret Science of Solving Crossword Puzzles
Racist Phrases to Remove From Your Mental Lexicon
Is the Coronavirus Crisis Increasing America's Drug Overdoses?
Fact Check: What Power Does the President Really Have Over State Governors?
Festival of Sacrifice: The Past and Present of the Islamic Holiday of Eid al-Adha