Courses on Water

Here are courses on water that have been published

When is water white?

White bubbles, ice, snow, cold breath, and clouds.

 What makes them so white?  There is a common theme to many of the white colors in water.

Funnily enough, a lot it has to do with air.

Go to course.

 

Here are courses on water that are in the planning and development phase

Hydrogen Bonds


There are a couple of reasons that hydrogen reigns supreme in its ability to create bonds that are exceptionally versatile. Most atoms have a choice of 1-3 bond types (for example, single or double bonds, etc). The hydrogen atom can have a covalent bond; in addition, it can have a multitude of hydrogen bond options. 

Hydrogen bonds can be different levels of strength, short or long, and bent or straight. Furthermore, the bond between hydrogen and some atoms can (particularly in water), can change virtually instantaneously from hydrogen bonding to covalent bonding.  Variations in hydrogen bonds play a key role in transfer of protons along protein networks in living beings. 

The goal from this course is to understand what makes the hydrogen atom different in its interplay with other atoms. I believe we can explain why a water molecule's H-O-H angle is 104.5 degrees rather than the expected tetrahedral angle of 109.5 degrees.


Water at different temperatures


We are familiar with water as steam, liquid, ice, and snow. 

  • However, is there a theme why liquids are liquid that makes sense?
  • Why does ice form hexagonal ice at 0degrees?
  • How is steam scalding?
  • Is it true that warm water can sometimes freeze faster than cold water?
  • What is the difference between natural snow and artificially made snow?
  • Why is ice slippery? There is actually a very thin layer of liquid water on ice; that is what causes the slipperiness.

These are questions that can be answered in this course. 

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Water at different pressures


Water acts differently at different pressures: 

  • At very low pressures, liquid water would boil and vaporizes into steam; if there is liquid left, it will cool down so much, it will freeze
  • Ice places at very low pressures can sublime without turning to liquid; this means it turns directly to gas. This is the process through which freeze-drying takes place.
  • water released from inside the earth through Geysers will come out boiling and super hot, producing steam.

Many of these phases changes can be explained through understanding water's hydrogen bond connections.


Water as the best medium for living atoms


Water's structure makes it infinitely versatile. Atoms that connect with water's hydrogen atoms through oxygen inherit this versatility. 

The basis for life is the ability to move atoms from transitory states to solid states and back again through water's hydrogen bonds. 

Do reach out if you have questions about Life's Chemistry Press

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