3GE Collection on Physics & Chemistry: Water Chemistry

Water is a major component of all living things. It is, one of the most common and most important substances on the earth's surface, essential for the existence of life, and the kinds and amounts of vegetation occurring on various parts of the earth's surface depend more on the quantity of water available than on any other single environmental factor. The importance of water was recognized by early civilizations, and it occupied a prominent place in ancient cosmologies and mythologies. It is anomalous in many of its physical and chemical properties. Some are essential for life while others have profound effects on the size and shape of living organisms, how they work, and the constraints within which they must operate. Water continues to engage the attention of scientists today as it remains incompletely understood in spite of intense study over many years. This is primarily because water is anomolous in many of its physical and chemical properties. Some of water’s unique properties are literally essential for life, while others have profound effects on the size and shape of living organisms, how they work, and the physical limits or constraints within which they must operate.

This volume entitled “Water Chemistry” discusses the ecological and physiological importance of water, its unique properties, and the properties of aqueous solutions. Theories and concepts of water chemistry are explained through the use of illustrated demonstrations. It deals with the multidimensional aspect of aquatic environment which involves the sources, compositions, chemical reactions and transport of water. Water, owing to its high boiling point, exists predominantly in its liquid form in the range of environments where life flourishes, although the other two phases ice and vapor, play an essential role in shaping the environment. Organisms consist mostly of liquid water, which performs many functions and should never be considered simply as an inert diluent. Nevertheless, in spite of much work many of the properties of water are puzzling. It has often been stated that life depends on the anomalous properties of water. In particular, the large heat capacity and high water content in organisms contribute to thermal regulation and prevent local temperature fluctuations. The high latent heat of evaporation gives resistance to dehydration and considerable evaporative cooling.

This novel edition will serve as a reference guide for students and other professionals in environmental engineering and all areas of aquatic chemistry.