Wonder of Water

Mary V.
22 words 1 learner

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  1. hydrogen bond
    a chemical bond consisting of a hydrogen atom between two electronegative atoms (e.g., oxygen or nitrogen) with one side be a covalent bond and the other being an ionic bond
    This attraction, called a hydrogen bond, makes water molecules do some very strange things.
  2. molecule
    the simplest structural unit of an element or compound
    As a gas (left), liquid (center), or solid (right), water molecules have special properties that make them behave in wonderful ways.
  3. capillary action
    a phenomenon associated with surface tension and resulting in the elevation or depression of liquids in capillaries
    This pulling, called capillary action, allows liquid water to move against gravity.
  4. universal solvent
    hypothetical universal solvent once sought by alchemists
    Scientists call water the universal solvent.
  5. surface tension
    phenomenon at a liquid's surface from intermolecular forces
    The stickiness of the hydrogen bonds also causes liquid water to form a kind of “skin”—called surface tension—where it meets the air.
  6. atom
    the smallest component of an element
    Rocks, plants, animals, air, and other things in the world around us are made up of tiny bits of stuff called atoms.
  7. electron
    an elementary particle with negative charge
    Atoms are made up of still smaller bits of stuff called protons, neutrons, and electrons.
  8. evaporate
    change into gas or steam
    Along the way, some water molecules evaporate (turn to gas) and travel back through the air again.
  9. chemical compound
    (chemistry) a substance formed by chemical union of two or more elements or ingredients in definite proportion by weight
    It’s one of the strangest chemical compounds ever discovered.
  10. liquid
    fluid matter having no fixed shape but a fixed volume
    It’s a gas that turns to liquid when it touches cold air.
  11. hydrogen
    a colorless, odorless gas; the lightest chemical element
    Water molecules are made up of three atoms: two hydrogen atoms (symbolized by H₂) and one oxygen atom (symbolized by O).
  12. proton
    a stable particle with positive charge
    Atoms are made up of still smaller bits of stuff called protons, neutrons, and electrons.
  13. adhesion
    the property of sticking together
    They also stick to other things—a force called adhesion.
  14. cohesion
    the state of sticking together
    Water molecules stick to each other—a force called cohesion.
  15. neutron
    a subatomic particle with zero charge
    Atoms are made up of still smaller bits of stuff called protons, neutrons, and electrons.
  16. nutrient
    any substance that can be metabolized to give energy
    Water carries nutrients from plants’ roots to their leaves.
  17. oxygen
    a colorless, odorless gas that is essential for respiration
    Some are familiar: oxygen, gold, helium.
  18. phosphorus
    a multivalent nonmetallic element of the nitrogen family that occurs commonly in inorganic phosphate rocks and as organic phosphates in all living cells; is highly reactive and occurs in several allotropic forms
    Rivers and streams carry nitrogen and phosphorus, which plants need to grow.
  19. solvent
    capable of meeting financial obligations
    Scientists call water the universal solvent.
  20. carbon dioxide
    a colorless, odorless greenhouse gas essential for photosynthesis
    Most molecules about the size of a water molecule, such as carbon dioxide, exist only as gases at temperatures we commonly fi nd on Earth.
  21. nitrogen
    a common nonmetallic element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless inert diatomic gas; constitutes 78 percent of the atmosphere by volume; a constituent of all living tissues
    Rivers and streams carry nitrogen and phosphorus, which plants need to grow.
  22. cell
    the basic structural and functional unit of all organisms
    It carries food through an animal’s bloodstream to nourish its cells.
Created on Fri May 13 09:10:08 EDT 2011

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