Water’s key properties

You have now learned about a number of properties of water that make it important, both for the environment and for life.

• A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms.
• Water is a polar molecule.
• Water molecules are attracted to one another by hydrogen bonds.
• Water has a high specific heat capacity, so it can balance temperature differences.
• Water is an efficient coolant when evaporating.
• Water is the universal solvent for life.
• Water is a transport medium for ions, nutrients and waste.
• Water takes part in reactions, some of which can change the acidity of a solution.

As such an important molecule for life and the environment, finding water beyond Earth would have huge significance. In the next section you will learn how to find it.