Properties of Water

1. Surface Tension

Surface Tension is caused by the intermolecular attraction (IMA) between water molecules.
Elastic forces exist in the surface layers of a liquid; the surface tension of a liquid is a measure
of these elastic forces. All polar liquids (including water ) with strong cohesive forces have high
surface tensions.
E.g. Insects walking on water surface- due to high surface tension of the water that creates a
skin on the surface.
Surface Tension is a measure of the energy required to increase the surface area of the liquid.
And the stronger the intermolecular forces, the greater will be the surface tension of the liquid
Water with its strong hydrogen bonding has strong intermolecular forces.
Thus, resulting in high surface tension (ST net force of zero)
2. Viscosity

Viscosity depends on the structure of molecules and the intermolecular forces between
molecules.Long chain molecules often have viscosity because their long chain can become
entangled as they flow.
-This is the reason why grease and tar are very viscous but petrol and kerosene are not.
-The stronger the forces of attraction between pairs of molecules the more resistance there is to
flow.
Water runs out of a burette because it is much less viscous.
E.g. of high viscosity is: heavy motor oils, honey and sugar molasses flow very slowly out of a
burette.
Viscosity is used to measure with a device called the viscometer which measure the flow rate
of a liquid. The viscosity of a liquid is determined by measuring the time taken for a fixed
quantity of the liquid to flow through a narrow (or capillary) tube.
- When liquids are heated, their viscosity to decrease
E.g. Molasses and honey are viscous and flow slowly when cold, but flow readily when warmed.

- Water has a higher viscosity than benzene, as benzene has no hydrogen

bonding between in molecules.
- Sucrose, glucose, fructose and glyce molecules contains OH groups; the strong
hydrogen bonding between its molecules leads to a much higher viscosity than water at
the same room temperature.

3. Specific Heat Capacity

Specific heat capacity is also measured in J/K/kg and J/K/mol

Reactive metals have higher heat capacity than less active metals.

Water has a higher heat capacity than many other solvents

Like- ethanol, acetone and hexane.
As the temperature is a measure of the kinetic energy of particles in a liquid, more heat
is required to increase the kinetic energy of water molecules than the other liquids.
Due to the strong hydrogen bonding between water molecules and the weaker
intermolecular forces between particles in the other liquids.

4. Expansion on freezing

Water one of the very few substances which expand when they freeze. (Due to
hydrogen bonding)
- In ice all molecules are hydrogen bonded to one another.
The tetrahedral arrangement- hexagonal lattice consists of four water molecule around
a central water molecule in ice (gives an open structure to ice than water)
- When ice melts, the individual water molecules move more vigorously
(breaks some of the hydrogen bonding)
Note: The molecules formed in ice would be vibrating
The less the hydrogen bonding means the molecules are often closer to one another.
This results in water having a higher density than ice.
Water freezes when its near the freezing temp of 4C