Facts About Water

Water is one of the most common things in our everyday life. For most of us, it's there when we want it, whether for drinking or for fun. Yet it is a fascinating substance, that is essential for our lives. Here are some amazing facts about water.

Water is the most common substance on Earth.

Water covers over 70% of the Earth's surface.

Most of the water on Earth is in the oceans – about 97%. Polar ice caps contain only about 2.5% of the Earth's water.

Under 2% of the water is held underground in aquifers.

Less than 0.001% of the Earth's water is in the air as vapor or clouds.

Only about 1% of water is drinkable.

In nature, water moves through a cycle – evaporation, transportation, precipitation and run off.

Water plays an important role in science, perhaps more than any other single material. Here are some science facts about water:

Water is a chemical compound consisting of 2 hydrogen and 1 oxygen atoms.

With only 2 hydrogen and 1 oxygen atoms, water should be a gas at normal temperatures. However, there is a slight electrical charge difference between hydrogen and oxygen. This results in an attraction between water molecules, which is enough to raise it's freezing and boiling points to what we are used to. This extra bond is called the hydrogen-bond.

Pure water has is ph 7. This means it is neither an acid or alkaline.

Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit, 100 degrees Celsius, at sea level.

Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, 0 degrees Celsius, at sea level.

Water changes density with different temperature as, it's maximum density being at at 3.9 °C / 39.2 °F. When water freezes into ice, it's density is less – hence ice will float.

Water is transparent to most of the visible colors of light, but it blocks infra-red and ultraviolet.

Pure water does not conduct electricity very well. However, even with a small amount of dissolved salts, it's conductivity greatly increases. The slat content found in normal tap water is enough to make water extremely dangerous around electrical equipment.

1 gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds

1 liters of water weighs 1 kilogram; 1 cc of water weighs 1 gram; 1 cubic meter of water weighs 1 tonne.

Water is important for health and well being. Here are some health facts about water:

Pure water is tasteless and odorless.

In a normal adult, approximately 70% of the body is made up of water. It is even higher in a baby, where it is up to 80%.

The amount of water need everyday depends a lot on activity and climate (i.e. how much you sweet!) For a normal, healthy person 3 - 4 liters is needed. However, that doesn't mean drinking this much water, all the food we eat, and of course the drinks we have (tea, coffee, soft drinks) contains water as well.

You can suffer from water intoxication (which can be fatal) if you drink too much water too quickly. As the body absorbs water, the sodium levels in the bloodstream can become diluted.

Waiting until you are thirsty before having a drink is not a good idea. The body makes you feel 'thirsty' only when water levels are becoming seriously low. You may have already lost over 1% of you body's water by that time. If you are in a hot environment, you should monitor your water intake regularly, and drink even if you don't feel thirsty.

After intense physical exercise, your weight loss is down to water loss – not fat!

Without water you will only last for a few days.

If you leave a tap dripping for a day, it can waste as much as gallon in a day.

Two thirds of the water used in a home is used in the bathroom.

Depending on area and country, the average person in developed nations use about 100 gallons of water each day. This includes cooking, drinking, washing and cleaning.

About ¾ of the household water use is in the bathroom, for washing and toilet flushing.

A normal clothes washer uses about 50 gallons of water for an average cycle.

A dishwasher uses about 20 gallons.

Brushing your teeth with the tap running will use about 2 gallons of water.

Agriculture uses the most fresh water, more so than used domestically.

Lack of access to clean fresh water affects one in three people in the world.

Drinking water of poor water quality can increase the risk of cholera, typhoid fever and dysentery.

Many poor parts of the world do not have running water. People, usually the women, have to carry the water from a safe source – perhaps some distance from the home. If they used the same as developed nations, they would have to carry over half a ton of water every day!

As nations develop, water shortages are getting worse, as it is diverted to agriculture and industry.