Water Vital to Life

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below freezing the only part of a lake or any body of water that freezes solid is the top layer. This creates an insulation for the water underneath allowing for life to continue to exist underneath regardless of frigid temperatures above. In many places around the world like in the Arctic sea the top layer of water freezes when the temperature drops, making this pieces of ice a solid habitat for polar bears and seals.

The last property of water that makes it vital to life is its versatility as a solvent. Since the medieval times alchemists found that water is the best solvent, although it is not a universal solvent. That’s great news for us because if it were a universal solvent meaning it could dissolve absolutely everything, then it would even dissolve our cells and any other container that it is stored in. This versatility as a solvent is due to the polarity of the water molecule. Sugar, salt and other polar substances dissolve in water when water molecules surround each of the elements in the solute individually, forming hydrogen bonds with each of them. On the other hand substances that do not dissolve in water are nonpolar and nonionic also known as hydrophobic. Nonpolar molecules, like fats and oils do not mix with water or form hydration shells. These molecules do not have parts of partial positive or partial negative charge, so they aren’t attracted to water molecules. Instead of dissolving, nonpolar substances stay separate and form layers or droplets when added to water. In our bodies’ water’s versatility as a solvent is essential for our body to carry out its functions. For example our blood is 92% water this allows for nutrients to dissolve into our blood and get carried to all parts of our body. Not only is it able to transport nutrients throughout our body but also other valuable chemicals and minerals that otherwise would not be able to move throughout our blood to get to where they are needed.

Water may seem so simple to many of us and may not seem like something that we need in our life. But if it were taken away from our planet, life as we know it would not be able to continue. When water is researched and analyzed we realize how complex a substance it really is, and that it’s properties play a role in many different aspects of our individual lives and is a crucial element in our environment. If water didn’t have or could not do any of the behavior or characteristics described in this essay than there would not be any life on earth. Out of over 200 planets that humans have being able to catalog about 2 or so have shown signs of water. One of those being Mars, if water allows for life here on earth than it may also allow for life in other planets as well.