water
Sign in to saveWater is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's streams, lakes, and oceans and the fluids of all known living organisms, in which it acts as a solvent. Water, being a polar molecule, undergoes strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding which is a large contributor to its physical and chemical properties. It is vital for all known forms of life, despite not providing food energy or being an organic micronutrient. Due to its presence in all organisms, its chemical stabi
AI overview
Water is a transparent, tasteless, odorless chemical substance that makes up Earth's oceans, lakes, and streams, and serves as a crucial solvent in all known living organisms. It is essential for all forms of life and has unique physical and chemical properties due to its polar molecular structure and hydrogen bonding.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Chemical data
- Formula
- H2O
- Molecular weight
- 18.015 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- hydron hydroxide
via PubChem
Wikidata facts
Show 14 more facts
- P910
- Category:Water
- P873
- critical point
Article
61 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- History
- On Earth
- Properties
- States
- Density
- Magnetism
- Phase transitions
- Triple and critical points
- Phases of ice and water
- Taste and odor
- Color and appearance
- Molecular polarity
- Hydrogen bonding
- Self-ionization
- Electrical conductivity and electrolysis
- Mechanical properties
- Reactivity
- On Earth
- Water cycle
- Water resources
- Seawater and tides
- Effects on life
- Aquatic life forms
- Effects on human civilization
- Health and pollution
- Human uses
- Agriculture
- As a scientific standard
- For drinking
- Washing
- Transportation
- Chemical uses
- Heat exchange
- Fire considerations
- Recreation
- Water industry
- Industrial applications
- Food processing
- Medical use
- Distribution in nature
- In the universe
- Water vapor
- Liquid water
- Water ice
- Exotic forms
- Water and planetary habitability
- Law, politics, and crisis
- In culture
- Religion
- Philosophy
- Folklore
- Art and activism
- Dihydrogen monoxide parody
- Music
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Works cited
- Further reading
- External links
Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's streams, lakes, and oceans and the fluids of all known living organisms, in which it acts as a solvent. Water, being a polar molecule, undergoes strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding which is a large contributor to its physical and chemical properties. It is vital for all known forms of life, despite not providing food energy or being an organic micronutrient. Due to its presence in all organisms, its chemical stability, its worldwide abundance, and its strong polarity relative to its small molecular size, water is often referred to as the "universal solvent".
Because Earth's surface temperature is relatively close to water's triple point, water exists on Earth as a solid, a liquid, and a gas. It forms precipitation in the form of rain and aerosols in the form of fog. Clouds consist of suspended droplets of water and ice, its solid state. When finely divided, crystalline ice may precipitate in the form of snow. The gaseous state of water is steam or water vapor.