Properties of water

Polar molecule

a molecule with unequal distribution of electrons resulting in partial positive and negative charges

Specific heat

the amount of heat required to raise 1 gram of a substance by 1°C

Solution

a homogeneous mixture of a solvent and one or more solutes

Hydrophobic

referring to substances that repel water and do not dissolve in it

Cohesion

the attraction between molecules of the same substance

Heat of vaporization

the amount of heat needed to convert a liquid to a gas

Solvent

the dissolving agent in a solution

Acid

a substance that increases hydrogen ion (H⁺) concentration in a solution

Adhesion

the attraction between different substances

Evaporative cooling

the process in which the surface of a liquid cools as molecules with higher kinetic energy evaporate

Solute

the substance that is dissolved in a solution

Base

a substance that reduces hydrogen ion concentration with OH molecules

Surface tension

the measure of how difficult it is to stretch or break the surface of a liquid

Hydration shell

the sphere of water molecules surrounding a dissolved ion

Hydrophilic

referring to substances that have an affinity for water and dissolve easily

Neutral

having equal concentrations of hydrogen ions (H⁺) and hydroxide ions (OH⁻)

Hydrogen ion

a positively charged ion (H⁺) formed when a hydrogen atom loses its electron

Hydronium ion

the H₃O⁺ ion formed when a hydrogen ion binds to a water molecule

pH

a scale that measures the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution

Buffers

substances that minimize changes in pH by accepting or donating hydrogen ions

Transpiration

the loss of water vapor from plant leaves