The hydrosphere contains in

the Earth’s water, a vitally

important substance in all parts
of the environment
 IMPORTANCE OF WATER
Throughout history, the quality and quantity of water available to
humans have been vital factors in determining their well-being.

Human uses the water in:

- Agriculture: The most important for the agriculture is for irrigation

- For drinking: Because the body need 75% of water to do exercise

- Washing: Washing is also an important component of several

aspects of personal body hygiene.

- Fire extinction: One of the important use of the water is

the fire extinction

- Recreation: For example swimming, , boating, surfing and diving

- Industrial applications: Water is used in power generation.

Inorganic substance – 1%
Carbohydrate– 5%
Fat– 10%

Protein– 18%

Water– >66%
The study of water is known as hydrology and is divided into a
number of subcategories.

a) Limnology is the branch of the science dealing with the

characteristics of fresh water including biological properties, as
well as chemical and physical properties.

b) Oceanography is the science of the ocean and its physical and

chemical characteristics.
The chemistry and biology of the Earth’s vast oceans are unique
because of the ocean’s high salt content, great depth, and other
factors
 Sources and Uses of Water:
The Hydrologic Cycle
The world’s water supply is found in the five parts of the
hydrologic cycle

About 97% of Earth’s water is found in the oceans.

Another fraction is present as water vapor in the atmosphere

(clouds).

Some water is contained in the solid state as ice and snow in

snowpacks, glaciers, and the polar ice caps.

Surface water is found in lakes, streams, and reservoirs.

Groundwater is located in aquifers underground.

Hydrosphere
Competing water uses
 PROPERTIES OF ofWATER
Physical Characteristics Water

A. Physical Characteristics of Water

1. Water can exist in three states:

a. Solid b. Liquid c. Gas

 PROPERTIES OF ofWATER
Physical Characteristics Water

2. At room temperature, pure water is a

a. colourless,
b. odourless and
c. tasteless.
PROPERTIES OF WATER
 Unique Properties of Water
Sustain Life
Cohesion/ Surface Specific Density Solvent
Adhesion Tension Heat

Attraction of Water has a Water Water is less Water is a

water molecules film-like surface absorbs and dense as a universal, most
for each other due to the stores a large solid and versatile,
and other cohesion of the amount of more dense solvent.
substances, molecules at heat, then as a liquid,
respectively. the surface. releases it therefore, ice
Ex. H2O drops slowly. floats.
 PROPERTIES OF WATER
Water’s properties can best be understood by considering the
structure and bonding of the water molecule:

The water molecule is made up of two hydrogen

atoms bonded to an oxygen atom.
 Water Is a Polar Molecule
• In a water molecule,
Oxygen holds the
electrons that it
covalently shares with
the two Hydrogen
closer to its nucleus.
• Therefore, in water,
Oxygen picks up two
negative charges and
each Hydrogen has
one positive charge.
 PROPERTIES OF WATER

The water molecule behaves like a dipole having opposite

electrical charges at either end. The water dipole may be
attracted to either positively or negatively charged ions.

For example, when NaCl dissolves in water as positive Na+

ions and negative Cl- ions, the positive sodium ions are
surrounded by water molecules with their negative ends
pointed at the ions, and the chloride ions are surrounded by
water molecules with their positive ends pointing at the
negative ions
 PROPERTIES OF WATER
A second important characteristic of the water molecule is
its ability to form hydrogen bonds.
Hydrogen bonds are a special type of bond that can form
between the hydrogen in one water molecule and the
oxygen in another water molecule. This bonding takes
place because the oxygen has a partial negative charge
and the hydrogen a partial positive charge.
Water’s Polarity Leads to Hydrogen
Bonding

• Hydrogen bonding
amongst water
molecules give
water its properties
as a substance.
• Water molecules
are held together
by hydrogen bonds
to make water a
very “solid-like”
liquid.
 PROPERTIES OF WATER
Cohesion: Water is attracted to water
Adhesion: Water is attracted to other substances
Adhesion and cohesion are water properties that affect every
water molecule on earth and also the interaction of water
molecules with molecules of other substances. Essentially,
cohesion and adhesion are the "stickiness" that water molecules
have for each other and for other substances.
In a water molecule, the two hydrogen atoms align themselves
along one side of the oxygen atom, with the result being that the
oxygen side has a slight negative charge and the side with the
hydrogen atoms has a slight positive charge. Thus when the
positive side on one water molecule comes near the negative side
of another water molecule, they attract each other and form a
bond. This "bipolar" nature of water molecules gives water its
cohesive nature, and thus, its stickiness and clumpability
 Cohesion and Adhesion
• Cohesion – attraction
that water molecules
have for each other,
due to Hydrogen
bonds.
• Adhesion – attraction
that polar molecules
have for molecules of
other substances.
• Cohesion-tension
transports a H2O
column from roots to
leaves.
Adhesion:
•This property occurs as a result of the polarity of a water
molecule and its ability to form hydrogen bonds
•Water molecules tend to stick to other molecules that are
charged or polar for similar reasons that they stick to each
other
•Again similarly individual hydrogen bonds are weak, but
large number of bonds gives adhesive forces great strength

Capillary action is caused

by the combination of
adhesive forces causing
water to bond to a
surface, e.g. the sides of
a xylem vessel and the
cohesive forces bonding
water molecules
together. Capillary action
is helpful in the
movement of water
during transpiration and
also when you drink
using a straw.
 Surface Tension
• The surface of water can
behave like an elastic sheet
• The molecules in the bulk of
the liquid are effected by
various intermolecular forces
of attraction
• Those molecules in the surface
are not effected by molecules
above them, and therefore
‘pull’ together more strongly,
effectively resembling a
stretched membrane
• A habitat can therefore survive
on the surface of the water
 Surface tension is caused by the cohesive hydrogen
bonding resisting an object trying to penetrate the
surface.

The cohesive nature of nature gives it surface tension. The surface

tension in turn allows organisms such as pond skaters (above) to move
across the surface. For pond skaters the surface of water is their habitat.
The surface tension transmits vibrations from fallen invertebrates - this
allows pond skaters to detect and locate their prey.
Water Moderates Temperature

• As H 2O is heated Hydrogen
bonds break and reform,
therefore, a large amount of
heat is absorbed and stored
with a minimal change in
temperature.

• As water cools, hydrogen

bonds form and absorb energy
in the process, therefore,
slowing the cooling time.

• Water slows “moderates”

temperature changes.
 Freezing Point of Water

1.Water changes from liquid to solid at its freezing

point.

liquid solid

Freezing point of water is the temperature at

which water freezes into ice.
2. The freezing point of pure water is 0 oC.

3. The temperature remains constant at 0 oC until water

freezes completely.
 When the temperature drops, the water
particles move slower.

Therefore, the forces of attraction among the

particles grow stronger.

At 0 oC, the forces of attraction are so great

that the water particles are held in fixed
positions.

Waterfreezes into ice!

 Boiling Point of Water

1. Water boils at its boiling point.

liquid gases

Boiling point of water is the temperature at

which water boils and becomes steam.
2. The boiling point of pure water is 100 oC.

3. The temperature remains constant at 100 oC until

water boils completely.
When the temperature rises, the water particles
move faster and further apart.

Therefore, the forces of attraction among the

particles grow weaker.

At 100 oC, water particles move so fast that

they overcome the forces of attraction and
leave the liquid’s surface.

Waterbecomessteam!
 PROPERTIES OF WATER
Water is an excellent solvent for many materials; thus it is
the basic transport medium for nutrients and waste
products in life processes. The extremely high
dielectric constant of water relative to other liquids has a
profound effect upon its solvent properties in that most ionic
materials are dissociated in water.

Water has its maximum density at 4°C, a temperature

above its freezing point. The fortunate consequence of this
fact is that ice floats, so that few large bodies of water ever
freeze solid.
 Water a Most Versatile
Solvent
• Solutions are made up of
solvents and solutes.
• Due to its polar nature,
in living things, water is
the most versatile
solvent.
• Water dissolves both
ionic and polar
substances by creating
spheres of hydration
around the solutes.
• Hydrophilic substances
easily dissolve in water.
Water is a good solvent. Almost everything can dissolve in it to
produce solutions. Therefore, water is also known as the
universal solvent.

Water acts as a medium in many chemical reactions in

our body.

Water dissolves and transports many substances in our

body such as digested food and waste products.

Water dissolves cleaning agents such as soap powder,

dishwasher liquid and toilet cleaner.
Water dissolves various substances. This enables us to
use water in cooking and making drinks.

Water is used extensively in food industry as a solvent.

Water is used to prepare traditional and modern liquid

medicines.

Farmers use water to dissolve pesticides.

Water is needed in plants to transport food and

dissolved minerals.
1. What is a solution?

• A solute is the
substance that dissolves.
• A solvent is the
substance that the solute
dissolves in.
 5.4 Solution and Solubility

2. Depending on the amount of solutes in

solutions, there are three types of solutions.

Solution

Dilute solution Concentrated solution Saturated solution

Contains a little Contains a lot of Contains the maximum
dissolved solute dissolved solute amount of dissolved solute
Can dissolve a lot Can dissolve a little bit Cannot dissolve any more
more solute more solute solute

All these solutions have a clear appearance

1. What are the factors affecting the rate
of dissolving a solute?
a. Temperature

b. Rate of stirring

c. Size of solute particles

 5.4 Solution and Solubility

i. Temperature
The higher the temperature of the solvent, the higher the
rate of dissolving.

:
We use hot water to make
tea. One reason for this is
that hot water increases
the rate of dissolving of
certain substances in the
tea leaves.
 5.4 Solution and Solubility

ii. Rate of stirring

The higher the rate of stirring, the higher the rate of

dissolving.

:
The faster you stir the
soup, the faster the salt
dissolves in it.
 5.4 Solution and Solubility

iii. Size of solute particles

The smaller the size of the solute particles, the higher the
rate of dissolving.

Smaller pieces of palm

sugar can dissolve in water
faster than a big piece of
it.
 Water is Less Dense as a Solid
Than as a Liquid: Ice Floats!

• Frozen water is a crystal, where each H 2O molecule is rigidly

Hydrogen bonded to four other water molecules. At cold
temperatures, there is insufficient energy to continuously break
and form Hydrogen bonds. This arrangement creates free space
between the molecules, i.e. less density.
• In liquid water there is plenty of energy to cause the constant
breakage and reforming of Hydrogen bonds. Therefore, the H2O
molecules rotate freely and are closer in proximity, than in cool
conditions, i.e. more dense.
PHASES OF
WATER
 Saline Water

Water that is saline contains significant amounts (referred

to as "concentrations") of dissolved salts, the most
common being the salt .

The concentration is the amount (by weight) of salt in

water, as expressed in "parts per million" (ppm

Fresh water - Less than 1,000 ppm

Slightly saline water - From 1,000 ppm to 3,000 ppm
Moderately saline water - From 3,000 ppm to 10,000 ppm
Highly saline water - From 10,000 ppm to 35,000 ppm
By the way, ocean water contains about 35,000 ppm of
salt.
 Source of salts?
Chemical weathering Volcanic activity:
of rocks (dissolved outgassing
load)
 Turbidity

Turbidity is the measure of relative clarity of a liquid. It is an

optical characteristic of water and is an expression of the
amount of light that is scattered by material in the water
when a light is shined through the water sample. The
higher the intensity of scattered light, the higher the
turbidity. Turbidity makes water cloudy or opaque.

High concentrations of particulate matter affect light

penetration and productivity, recreational values, and
habitat quality
Suspended and Colloidal Matter
• Suspended and Colloidal matter are microscopic particles that
remain suspended in water and diffract light. It can be anything
that is suspended in the water column ranging from:
• sand
• silt,
• clay,
• plankton,
• industrial wastes
• sewage
• lead
• asbestos to bacteria and viruses.
• Some suspended matter occurs naturally and some is produced by
human activities.
 Water Hardness

The simple definition of water hardness is the amount of

dissolved calcium and magnesium in the water.
Hard water is high in dissolved minerals, both calcium
and magnesium.

Example: You may have felt the effects of hard water,

literally, the last time you washed your hands. Depending
on the hardness of your water, after using soap to wash
you may have felt like there was a film of residue left on
your hands.
 OXYGEN IN WATER
Most elemental oxygen comes from the atmosphere, which
is 20.95% oxygen by volume of dry air. Therefore, the
ability of a body of water to reoxygenate itself by
contact with the atmosphere is an important characteristic.

Without an appreciable level of dissolved oxygen, many

kinds of aquatic organisms cannot exist in water.

Dissolved oxygen is consumed by the degradation

of organic matter in water. Many fish kills are caused not
from the direct toxicity of pollutants but from a deficiency of
oxygen because of its consumption in the biodegradation
of pollutants.
 CARBON DIOXIDE IN WATER

presence of carbon dioxide in air and its production from

microbial decay of organic matter, dissolved CO2 is present
in virtually all natural waters and wastewaters

Rainfall from even an absolutely unpolluted atmosphere is

slightly acidic due to the presence of dissolved CO2.

Carbon dioxide, and its ionization products, bicarbonate

ion (HCO3-), and carbonate ion (CO32-) have an extremely
important influence upon the chemistry of water.
 pH - Water properties

pH is a measure of how acidic/basic water is. The range

goes from 0 - 14, with 7 being neutral.

The pH of water determines the solubility (amount that can

be dissolved in the water) and biological availability
(amount that can be utilized by aquatic life) of chemical
constituents such as nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen, and
carbon) and heavy metals (lead, copper, cadmium, etc.).
Water Dissociates Into H+ and OH-
• In solutions, water
molecules split into OH-
(Hydroxide ions) and H+
(Hydrogen ions).
• OH- and H+ ions are
very reactive and must
be balanced. Neutral
solutions have similar
amounts of OH- and H+
• Buffers balance
solutions.
• Acids donate H+ ions to
the solution.
• Bases accept H+ ions
from the solution.
• pH is the negative
log (base 10) of the
Hydrogen ion
concentration in a
solution.

• The pH scale
ranges from 0,
most acidic (most
H+); to 14, least
acidic (most OH-)
or most basic; with
7 being neutral,
(H+ = OH-).

• Buffers moderate
pH
• In order to maintain a stable and healthy internal
environment to allow life’s functions, organisms
must exist in optimum ranges or conditions.
• pH ranges that are too acid or basic may harm an
organism,
• Ex. Acidification of trees due to acid precipitation.