Water. Molecule and properties

Do you want to learn more about water, its molecule and its properties?

The online water simulations on this page will help you to learn about the water molecule and some of the most important properties of this very important compound.

Water is an odorless, colorless and tasteless substance. It is a chemical compound essential for life, with unique and diverse properties that make it crucial for a wide range of processes and applications.

The water molecule is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, which is represented by the chemical formula H₂O. It is a polar compound, which means that the electrical charge is distributed unequally between the hydrogen and oxygen atoms.

Water is a universal solvent, that is, it has the ability to dissolve a wide variety of substances, including salts, sugars, gases and other organic and inorganic compounds. This property is due to the ability of the opposite poles of water molecules to attract and surround the ions and molecules of other substances, separating and dissolving them in solution.

Water is also an amphoteric compound and therefore can act as either an acid or a base. This is due to the ability of water molecules to ionize, releasing hydrogen ions (H+) and hydroxide ions (OH-) into solution. When an acid is dissolved in water, an excess of H+ ions is produced, while when a base is dissolved, an excess of OH- ions is produced.

Water also has a high heat capacity so a large amount of energy is required to raise its temperature. The reason lies in the bonding forces between water molecules, which absorb energy on heating and release it on cooling.

Below are several simulations and other educational resources, which can also serve as very illustrative examples. In addition, a selection of books and courses is included to help you broaden your knowledge of this subject.

Molecule
State
Distillation
Electrolysis

Water molecule

The water molecule is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom joined by a covalent bond. That is, the two hydrogen atoms and the oxygen atom are bonded together by sharing electrons. Its formula is H2O.

Changes of state

This animation shows what happens when heat is applied to a block of ice. Notice that the temperature increases until it reaches 0ºC, where it remains stable while the ice melts. The same thing happens at 100°C as the liquid water evaporates.

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Water distillation

This simulation shows a water distillation unit with different cooling variants.

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Electrolysis of water

The electrolysis of water is the decomposition of water (H2O) into the gases oxygen (O2) and hydrogen (H2) by means of a direct electric current. To reduce the resistance to the passage of current through water, it is usually acidified by adding a small amount of sulfuric acid or by adding a strong electrolyte such as sodium hydroxide, NaOH.