water is a tasteless, odorless liquid . The color of water and ice is, a very slight blue hue, although water appears colorless in small quantities. Ice also appears colorless, and water vapor is essentially invisible as a gas.
water is transparent, and aquatic plants can live within the water because sunlight can reach them. Only strong UV light is absorbed.
Water is a good solvent and is often referred to as the universal solvent. Substances that dissolve in water, e.g., salts, sugars, acids, alkalis, and some gases – especially oxygen, carbon dioxide (carbonation) are known as hydrophilic (water-loving) substances, while those that do not mix well with water (e.g., fats and oils), are known as hydrophobic (water-fearing) substances.
All the major components in cells (proteins, DNA and polysaccharides) are also dissolved in water.
Pure water has a low electrical conductivity, but this increases significantly with the dissolution of a small amount of ionic material such as sodium chloride.
The boiling point of water (and all other liquids) is dependent on the barometric pressure. For example, on the top of Mt. Everest water boils at 68 degrees Celsius, compared to 100 degrees Celsius at sea level. Conversely, water deep in the ocean near geothermal vents can reach temperatures of hundreds of degrees and remain liquid.
water has the second highest molar specific heat capacity of any known substance, after ammonia, as well as a high heat of vaporisation (40.65 kJ·mol-1), both of which are a result of the extensive hydrogen bonding between its molecules. These two unusual properties allow water to moderate Earth's climate by buffering large fluctuations in temperature.
The maximum density of water occurs at 3.98 degrees Celsius. It has the anomalous property of becoming less dense, not more, when it is cooled down to its solid form, ice. It expands to occupy 9 percent greater volume in this solid state, which accounts for the fact of ice floating on liquid water.
