Water Worksheets

Water is incredibly vital to the human existence. We have so many uses for water outside of the basic need for eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day for health. We use water to make energy, cool our machines, and clean ourselves. This set of printables helps students understand the importance of this compound of life.

What Makes Water so Special?

Water is a necessary resource in order for living things, including plants and animals, to survive. We must drink it to stay hydrated and to keep our kidneys flushed out. We use it to cook, bathe, and to live. Without water, we could only live up to a few weeks, if that. This natural resource of our planet is a gift. It is the only way for Earth to support humans and all organisms of life. Since water is essential to our survival, it is only necessary to teach students about the importance of this very real compound. We have created lesson plans and other activities, such as poems, word puzzles, and multiple choice quizzes. You can even create your own classroom activities that involve water. A fun activity might include ice cubes. You could explain to students why ice cubes melt. Another interactive activity would be to collect different objects, and have the class guess which objects float or sink in all of our favorite substance. Why not pass out small cups of water to drink during lesson time? We hope you and your class have a fantastic time learning about the importance of water!

Water is called the essence of life for a reason. Nothing on Earth can survive without it. It governs the life of all plants and animals and makes up more than 60% of human body weight. It is what makes Earth unique. Wherever there is water, there is life, to some extent.

It is quite ironic how this compound is essential for everything in life, from drinking to agricultural purposes, yet still, it is taken for granted and wasted in huge quantities. More than 70% of the water present on Earth is not suitable for human consumption, and only about 3 percent is suitable for drinking. It is predicted that there will be no of this life-sustaining compound by 2040, if people on Earth would not take measures to save and conserve it.

Water is the most crucial compound known to life. Let's see what makes it so special.

Physical and Chemical properties

H₂0 is the chemical formula of water consisting of two elements which are hydrogen and oxygen.

Polarity - The two hydrogens and one oxygen makes this molecule highly polar, and they form covalent bonds with each other. This polarity dissolves other polar compounds in water.

Cohesion - Cohesion is the property that allows the molecules to stick to one another and form droplets. This is due to polarity. It also allows things to float on the surface of water because these molecules are tightly bound.

Adhesion - The adhesion property allows water molecules to attract molecules of other substances. It plays a very important part in capillary action.

Temperature - Water resists temperature fluctuation because of its high boiling point and low freezing point, making it a buffer for aquatic life to survive in oceans and other water bodies.

Viscosity - Water is generally a less viscous liquid, but its viscosity further decreases as temperature increases, as the energy is provided to overcome the attractive forces between molecules. This allows them to move freely.

Surface tension - Molecules at the surface of water attract one another and make a strong barrier between it and the atmosphere causing small objects to float on the surface. Water has the second-highest surface tension of all elements, mercury being the first.

Appearance - It is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless molecule. A single molecule has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, which are placed at an angle.

Boiling and freezing point - Water boils at 100°C to form vapor and freezes at 0°C to form ice. The freezing point of this compound (liquid form) is equivalent to the melting point of ice (solid form).

Density - It has the highest density at 4°C, which is 1g/cc. As the water becomes warm or colder from this temperature, the density starts to decrease.

Interesting facts about Water

- Scientists believe that if you want to find life on other planets, look for water. It supports the life of insects in the deepest pits of Earth to microorganisms living in the atmosphere, so it makes sense to follow it to find signs of life.

- 70% of the surface of Earth is covered in water, and only about 3.5% is drinkable. Fresh water is found in rivers, streams, glaciers, and ice caps.

- 1 drop of seawater is enough to find millions of viruses, bacteria, and algae.

- Water is the only substance that increases in size and expands when frozen.

- Water is a compound, not an element because it has two different types of atoms in its structure. Hydrogen and Oxygen.

- Capillary action allows water molecules to defy gravity and move upwards, for example, in a thin tube. Plants use this phenomenon to bring water up to their higher branches. It happens because of the cohesion between water molecules and adhesion with the surface it is moving on.

It is a Universal solvent

Water has a special quality of dissolving more substance than any other liquid. Its polar nature contributes to this. A wmolecule of this compound has negatively charged oxygen and two positively charged hydrogen atoms. The negative oxygen attracts and binds hydrogen from other water molecules, making it very cohesive.

This property also allows water to form hydrogen or polar bonds with molecules of other substances, and while forming its bonds, water breaks apart their bonds which causes these substances to dissolve in water. The capacity to dissolve so many things in it gives water the name of Universal solvent. This leads to the misconception that it can dissolve everything, which is not true. Non-polar substances like oil, wax, and lipids cannot dissolve in it.

Unique properties of Water

- It has a high heat capacity, which requires a very large amount of heat or energy to increase its temperature. This gives several benefits. For example, coastal areas have less severe weather changes because the water narrows the temperature range.

This property supports aquatic life in ponds, and the water also acts as a buffer in living cells.

- Water has a high heat of vaporization, which means high energy levels are required to convert it to vapor. This acts as a cooling effect. For example, sweat, made up of water, absorbs excess heat and evaporates, making your skin feel cool.

- Water also plays an important role at the cellular level. Plants and animal cells require water to maintain their shape and perform normal functions.

Loss of water or dehydration is effective in killing a cell since it is a basic element of cell membranes and chief molecules like proteins and DNA.

Water is a very interesting compound and leaves much room for discussion and exciting research. A single molecule is capable of exhibiting so many diverse properties. This simple compound is the basis for functioning all life forms on Earth. It allows animals, plants, and other organisms to live in various environments. You can survive without food, but you cannot survive without water. It is the most precious resource on our planet.