Properties of Water

What property of water allows it to be such a versatile solvent that it is often called the "universal solvent?"

• Purity
• Polarity and cohesion
• High heat capacity
• Expansion upon freezing

Large bodies of water do not quickly fluctuate in temperature. Why?

• Water is a solvent.
• Water has a high heat capacity.
• Water acts as a buffer.
• Water is non-polar.

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Water striders can walk across the surface of calm water. Their feet push the surface of the water down slightly, but they do not break the surface. Why?

• The insects are light enough so they do not break the hydrogen bonds holding the water molecules together
  
• The insects actually use their wings to hover slightly above the water’s surface and they only skim it with their feet.
• The insect’s feet are non-polar, so they are repelled by the polar water molecules and are pushed away from the water’s surface.
• The insects are small enough to see the individual water molecules, so they are able to step carefully from one molecule to the next
  

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What two elements make up water?

• Helium and oxygen
• Hydrogen and oxygen
• helium and carbon
• oxygen and carbon

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What word describes when water is attracted to other substances?

• cohesion
• adhesion
• capillary action
• surface tension

Why does water move from the roots to the leaves of plants?

• Water is pushed by solutes
• Capillary action pulls the water molecules like a chain
• Water is pulled by gravity
• Water’s cohesion causes it to “pull” towards the leaves

Attractions between water molecules are called

• Covalent bonds
• Ionic bonds
• Polar bonds
• Hydrogen bonds

Which is NOT a unique property of water?

• Frozen water floats on liquid water.
• Water covers most of the Earth’s surface and retains a large amount of heat.
• Water molecules stick to each other through hydrogen bonds.
• Water cools very rapidly.

What property of water helps to moderate earth's temperature?

• adhesion
• chohesion
• Specific heat capacity
• Latent heat of vaporization

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Why does ice float?

• As water freezes, it expands and its density decreases.
• As water freezes, it takes up more hydrogen from the atmosphere, causing it to have a greater buoyancy.
• As water freezes, air becomes trapped between the hydrogen bonds of water molecules.
• As water freezes, it takes up more oxygen from the atmosphere, causing it to have a greater buoyancy.