Hi! I'm Wally the water droplet. I'm going to show you water and its properties, water in the water cycle, and how water affects the Earth's surface processes.
Universal Solvent
Water is a universal solvent! It can dissolve limestone forming caves like the one I'm in.
3 Phases
Erosion
Condensation
Deposition
Precipitation
Transpiration
Evaporation
Liquid water picks up sediments, moves them, and then deposits them.
I think it's going to rain. Look there's my cousin Wanda!
Wally is a water droplet that knows a lot about water and it properties.
Solid Expansion
Water in its solid form is ice. When water freezes, it expands.
Water is a universal solvent, which means that water can dissolve many substances, such as limestone. Not only can it form caves, but within caves, it can form stalactites and stalagmites.
Cohesion and Adhesion and Surface Tension
Water can exist in all 3 phases: Liquid, Solid, and Gas. Water is a part of the water cycle. When water evaporates, it turns into water vapor, its gaseous form. When water evaporates from the leaves of a plant, this is transpiration. As water vapor rises into the atmosphere it cools and condenses. When water condenses, it can form cloud particles, and form back into liquid water. If droplets in the cloud get big enough, they can fall as rain. Liquid water drives erosion and deposition.
Specific Heat
Since water can absorb so much heat, areas around large bodies of water often feel cooler.
When water enters the its solid phase, ice, it freezes and expands in doing so. Sometimes water seeps into the cracks or gaps of rocks and then freezes and expands. Eventually it expands so much that it breaks the rock. This process is called frost wedging.
Brrrrr, It's so COLD! I better get outta here before I freeze!
Water molecules have cohesion and adhesion. Being cohesive, means they stick together, this also makes then adhesive, meaning they can attach to other surfaces. The strong bond water molecules have is also shown at the surface, where they have a strong bond.
Water molecules are strong and stick together. They have the strongest bond near the surface, and make it so insects can walk on water!
Water can absorb a lot of heat because of its hydrogen bonds, without changing its state. This ability of water stabilizes large bodies of water. Water can absorb a lot of heat (and retain it) often making the area around large bodies of water cooler.
Nice talking to you about water! I'm going to relax in the sun... but not for too long! Bye!