Question

What are some important physical properties of water? How do these properties of water help moderate the earth's environment?

Answer 1

Well, given the size of the water molecule....water is EXTRAORDINARILY `"INVOLATILE"`...

Explanation:

Of course you know the normal boiling point of water. Compare this to the normal boiling points of comparable solvents: ammonia; hydrogen sulfide; hydrogen fluoride; hydrogen chloride.... And of course, you could point to the reasons why intermolecular bonding in water is so effective.

And again we should draw on numerical data, when we quote the heat capacity of water. I can still quote `4.18*J*g^-1*K^-1`...this is AGAIN EXTRAORDINARILY high when we consider the heat capacities of other substances.... And thus to heat (or cool) a mass of water, a LARGE energy term must be exchanged.

And so, given that the surface of this globe is 2/3 covered by water...the body of water and its resultant GROSS heat capacity must have a considerable effect in moderating climate....and fortunately for us, for most of the time, on most of the Earth's surface, it is in the just right zone between `10-30` `""^@C`...