Important Properties and Functions of Water
Water is extremely important to life on Earth, without it, nothing can survive. Water has five main properties that help life on this planet function, the high specific heat, the ability to cohere, the ability to adhere, the surface tension that water exhibits and its high viscosity.
The high specific heat of water is vital to life in water and the life surrounding it. Fauna living in or near large bodies of water will experience a rather constant temperature throughout the year in that specific region. This allows flora to flourish year round and increases the production of O2 molecules while decreasing the amount of CO2 molecules in our atmosphere. In cold areas water will slowly freeze rather than freezing quickly, and allowing a gradual adjustment to the new, colder temperatures.
Cohesion and Adhesion are very important to the water cycle and also to plants. When water evaporates into the atmosphere it will collect in clouds and begin to form droplets of water, once these droplets become too large, gravity takes control and sends the drops plummeting towards the earth. This is due to cohesion and adhesion working together, the water will cohere with itself while at the same time adhering to the dust particles in the clouds.
Water's viscosity is important geographically, if water flowed like molasses, the number of years it would take to form valleys that we know today would be astronomical. Water would also take a very long time to carry sediments and nutrients from mountain springs to deltas. This would dramatically affect the way almost everything would have evolved, boats would not be able to function the way they do.
Here in the United States, the Colorado River Basin has been experiencing many issues due to humans. We have been draining it of water faster than it can replenish and the landscape has been changed drastically, as seen by the photograph to the lower right. The Colorado River is what gives the western United States most of their water, if we continue to deplete it at our current rate, life may become near impossible for anything in that region. We have not only depleted the water, but we have also desecrated the amount of aquatic life in the area as well. Our dams have caused water temperatures to drop which can be harmful to fish. (Images Courtesy of Colorado College and www.oneonta.edu)
The high specific heat of water is vital to life in water and the life surrounding it. Fauna living in or near large bodies of water will experience a rather constant temperature throughout the year in that specific region. This allows flora to flourish year round and increases the production of O2 molecules while decreasing the amount of CO2 molecules in our atmosphere. In cold areas water will slowly freeze rather than freezing quickly, and allowing a gradual adjustment to the new, colder temperatures.
Cohesion and Adhesion are very important to the water cycle and also to plants. When water evaporates into the atmosphere it will collect in clouds and begin to form droplets of water, once these droplets become too large, gravity takes control and sends the drops plummeting towards the earth. This is due to cohesion and adhesion working together, the water will cohere with itself while at the same time adhering to the dust particles in the clouds.
Water's viscosity is important geographically, if water flowed like molasses, the number of years it would take to form valleys that we know today would be astronomical. Water would also take a very long time to carry sediments and nutrients from mountain springs to deltas. This would dramatically affect the way almost everything would have evolved, boats would not be able to function the way they do.
Here in the United States, the Colorado River Basin has been experiencing many issues due to humans. We have been draining it of water faster than it can replenish and the landscape has been changed drastically, as seen by the photograph to the lower right. The Colorado River is what gives the western United States most of their water, if we continue to deplete it at our current rate, life may become near impossible for anything in that region. We have not only depleted the water, but we have also desecrated the amount of aquatic life in the area as well. Our dams have caused water temperatures to drop which can be harmful to fish. (Images Courtesy of Colorado College and www.oneonta.edu)
Why Care About Our Water?
If nothing is done about the water shortage in the Colorado River Basin, our country will loose a huge portion of its economy. Farming in the west will be next to impossible, and cities will experience water shortages to the point where the entire southwest could end up abandoned and deserted, simply because we chose not to protect the source of life in the west.
What Can Be Done About This?
Anyone can help reduce our amount of water usage in a few simple ways, simply reducing the amount of time you spend in the shower, turning the sink off when you brush your teeth, and reducing sprinkler usage. These ideas may not seem like a large amount of water saved but if everyone were to do this for years to come, the amount of water used would drop drastically.
What Can Be Done About This?
Anyone can help reduce our amount of water usage in a few simple ways, simply reducing the amount of time you spend in the shower, turning the sink off when you brush your teeth, and reducing sprinkler usage. These ideas may not seem like a large amount of water saved but if everyone were to do this for years to come, the amount of water used would drop drastically.