For water in its solid state, see ice.
Impact from a water drop causes an upward “rebound” jet surrounded by circular capillary waves
Water is the most common liquid on Earth. It covers about 71.4% of the Earth.[1]
Pure water has no smell, taste, or color. Lakes, oceans, and rivers are made of
water. Rain is water that falls from clouds in the sky. If water gets very
cold (below 0 degrees Celsius), it freezes and becomes ice. Frozen rain is hail. Snow
is formed from water vapour, not rain. If water gets very hot (above 100 degrees
Celsius), it boils and becomes steam. Water is very important for life.[2] However, some studies
suggest that by 2025 more than half of the people around the world will not
have enough water.[3]
Water is a fluid. Water is the only substance on earth that exists naturally in
three states. People know of over 40 anomalies about water.[4][5] Unlike most other liquids such
as alcohol or oil, when water freezes, it expands by about 9%.[6][7][8] This expansion can
cause pipes to break if the water inside them freezes.
Drops of water flowing from a tap
Contents [hide] 1 Uses of water
2 What water is made of
3 Related pages
4 References
5 Other websites
Uses of water[change | change source] Plants and animals (including people) are mostly water inside,
and must drink water to live. It gives a medium for chemical reactions to take
place, and is the main part of blood. It keeps the body temperature the same
by sweating from the skin. Water helps blood carry nutrients from the stomach to all
parts of the body to keep the body alive. Water also helps the blood carry
oxygen from the lungs to the body. Saliva, which helps animals and people digest food,
is mostly water. Water helps make urine. Urine helps remove bad chemicals from the body.
The human body is between 60% and 70% water.
Water is the main component of drinks like milk, juice, and wine. Each type of
drink also has other things that add flavor or nutrients, things like sugar, fruit, and
sometimes alcohol. Water that a person can drink is called “potable water” (or “drinking water”.)
The water in oceans is salt water, but lakes and rivers usually have unsalted water.
Only about 3% of all the water on earth is fresh water. The rest is
salt water.[9][10]
Many places, including cities and deserts, don’t have as much water as people want. They
build aqueducts to bring water there.
What water is made of[change | change source] Water is a molecule made of 2
hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom. Its chemical formula is H2O. Water has a surface
tension, so a little water can make drops on a surface, rather than always spreading
out to wet the surface. Water can also be called ‘aqua’, which is the Roman
word for water. Water is also used for recreational purposes. Though a human being can
survive for up to a three weeks without food, they can only survive for a
day or two without water. A few desert animals can get enough water from their
food, but the others must drink.
