1. The Unique Properties of Water
Hydrosphere

2. Hydrosphere Hydrosphere – the portion of Earth that contains water.
Hydrology – the study of water

3. The Unique Properties of Water
Polarity – uneven distribution of charges across a molecule
The positive ends of the H tend to draw the negative ends of the O therefore water molecules tend to stick to one another

5. The Unique Properties of Water
Adhesion – the tendency of water to stick to other substances.
This causes water to
move upward against
gravity in plant stems and
to be absorbed by
paper towels.  It also
causes water to adhere to spider webs

6. Cohesion The attractive force between water molecules
This is caused by hydrogen bonds that form between the slightly positive and negative ends of neighboring molecules.  This is the reason why water is found in drops; perfect spheres.  It’s hard to imagine water behaving any other way. 

8. Surface Tension
the force that acts on the particles at the surface of a material
The tightness across the surface of the water caused by polar molecules pulling on one another

10. Capillary Action
The process that moves water through a narrow porous space

11. Universal Solvent The quality of water that makes it able to
dissolve more substances than any other
solvent.
Solvent- Substance doing the dissolving
Solute-Substance being
dissolved

12. Specific Heat
The amount of heat needed to increase the temp. of a certain mass of a substance by 1 degree celcius.
Water has a high specific heat
Land has low
specific heat

13. The Unique Properties of Water
Density – the measure of mass of a substance per unit volume.
Freshwater Density 1g/cm3

15. The Unique Properties of Water
Buoyancy – ability of a fluid to exert an upward force on an object that is immersed in the fluid.