Abstract
Water is a simple molecule with two hydrogen atoms and an oxygen atom. Its molecular weight is 18. Water has unique features that cause it to behave differently than other compounds of similar molecular weight. The water molecule is dipolar because it has a negatively charged side and a positively charged one. Polarity leads to water having high freezing and boiling points, large latent heat requirements for phase changes between ice and liquid and between liquid and vapor, temperature dependent density, a large capacity to hold heat, and good solvent action. The physical properties of water influence water quality.
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© 2000 Springer Science+Business Media New York
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Boyd, C.E. (2000). Physical Properties of Water. In: Water Quality. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4485-2_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4485-2_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-7021-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-4485-2
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