Explore the history and unique characteristics of water, including its composition discovered by Lavoisier. Learn about water's ability to store energy, its unusual behavior when cooled, and its importance for organic chemistry. Discover the role of water in biological processes and the mysteries of ice's structure.
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Quick takeaways
Water's unique composition and structure led to discoveries and debates about its nature and properties.
Current research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of water's hydrogen bonding, the interaction of ions with water, and the mysteries of ice.
Deep dives
Water is an exceptional molecule
Water is a common substance on Earth, covering 70% of the planet's surface. It is the commonest molecule in the universe after hydrogen. Water is known for its ability to dissolve more substances than any other liquid and its essential role in supporting all forms of life. Scientists have discovered at least 15 different types of ice. Water's unique qualities include its high energy storage capacity and its expansion as it cools, making it less dense than its liquid form. These properties, along with its high boiling point, make water an extraordinary and essential molecule.
Historical understanding of water's composition
Water was historically considered an element until the chemical revolution of the 18th century. Antoine Lavoisier, a French chemist, discovered that water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen. The chemical revolution, which took place in the 1780s, led to the acceptance of water's composition. However, it wasn't until the 19th century that chemists fully grasped the concept of atoms and molecules. Water's unique composition and structure led to discoveries and debates about its nature and properties.
Water's exceptional qualities
Water's exceptional qualities include its ability to dissolve various substances, making it a versatile solvent. The polarity of the water molecule allows it to form hydrogen bonds with other molecules, which influences its high boiling point, surface tension, and ability to solvate biological molecules. Water's stickiness and reactivity also create challenges in some areas of chemistry. Its liquid form and ability to regulate temperature are crucial for life, allowing for fluidity and heat regulation. Water's role in protein folding and enzyme functionality is vital for biological processes.
Research and mysteries surrounding water
Current research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of water's hydrogen bonding, the interaction of ions with water, and the mysteries of ice. Scientists are investigating how water's hydrogen bonds reform and change, exploring theories of flickering bonds and rotational motions. The interaction between water and ions is of particular interest, as it can influence the structure and behavior of water in the presence of ions. The slipperiness of ice remains a mystery, as researchers seek to understand the pre-melting phenomena and surface properties of ice. Ongoing studies into temporary structures within liquid water offer promising insights into water's dynamic behavior.
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss one of the simplest and most remarkable of all molecules: water. Water is among the most abundant substances on Earth, covering more than two-thirds of the planet. Consisting of just three atoms, the water molecule is superficially simple in its structure but extraordinary in its properties. It is a rare example of a substance that can be found on Earth in gaseous, liquid and solid forms, and thanks to its unique chemical behaviour is the basis of all known life. Scientists are still discovering new things about it, such as the fact that there are at least fifteen different forms of ice.
Hasok Chang
Hans Rausing Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge
Andrea Sella
Professor of Chemistry at University College London
Patricia Hunt
Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at Imperial College London.
Producer: Thomas Morris.
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