How really, really weird is Water?

Watch this BBC Ideas version on YouTube but please note Fact Check below.

Water – you’ve got to love it!

Hello, young scientists! Today we’re diving into the wonderful world of water – probably the weirdest and most wonderful substance in the universe!

Water, Water Everywhere!

Did you know that water is a bit of a space traveler? That’s right! We’ve found traces of water not just here on Earth, but on the Moon and Mars too! Scientists have discovered minerals on Mars that show liquid water once flowed on its surface.

How exciting is that?

But Earth is where water really shines. Our planet is often called the “Blue Planet” because it’s covered in oceans, rivers, and lakes. Water is everywhere around us – in the air, in the ground, and even inside our bodies!

The Weirdness of Water

Now, let’s talk about why water is so weird:

1. It’s one of the few substances that can exist as a solid, liquid, and gas at temperatures we experience on Earth.

2. Unlike most liquids, water expands when it freezes. That’s why ice floats!

3. Water is really good at dissolving things. Scientists call it the “universal solvent.”

Water and Life

Here’s where it gets really exciting! Water is essential for life as we know it. It’s like a superhero for living things:

• It helps transport nutrients in plants and animals.

• It’s a key ingredient in many chemical reactions that keep us alive.

• It even helped shape the surface of our planet!

Why is Water Liquid on Earth?

Now, you might be wondering, “Why is water liquid on Earth when it’s ice or vapor on other planets?” Well, it’s all about location, location, location! Earth is in just the right spot in our solar system – not too hot, not too cold. Scientists call this the “Goldilocks zone“

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Fun Water Facts

Ready for some splashy fun facts?

1. A water molecule looks like Mickey Mouse – with one big oxygen atom and two smaller hydrogen atoms!

2. Water can climb up against gravity in small spaces. This is how trees transport water from their roots to their leaves.

3. Hot water can freeze faster than cold water under certain conditions. This is called the Mpemba effect (This effect is named after Erasto Mpemba, a Tanzanian student who observed and reported this phenomenon in 1963 while making ice cream)

So there you have it, junior scientists and ice cream lovers! Water isn’t just weird – it’s wonderful, wacky, and absolutely essential for life as we know it. Next time you take a sip, remember: you’re drinking the same stuff that’s shaped our planet, flowed on Mars, and makes life possible. How cool is that?

This is your WOW children’s programme reporter, signing off. Stay curious and keep exploring the amazing world of science!

• Carbon Monoxide (CO):

  • Carbon monoxide is the second most common molecule in the Universe. It forms easily in interstellar space and is often used as a tracer for molecular hydrogen because H₂ itself is difficult to detect directly.

• Water (H2O):

  • Water exists in space but is far less common than H₂ (molecular hydrogen) or CO (carbon monoxide). Its formation requires specific conditions, such as warm and dense regions of space, and involves complex chemical reactions.

  • Additionally, much of the oxygen that could form water gets locked up in carbon monoxide instead.

Conclusion:

While water is crucial for life on Earth and present in space, it is not the second most common molecule in the Universe. Instead, molecular hydrogen and carbon monoxide hold the top two spots.

Updates:

Pluto

• Water Ice on the Surface: NASA’s New Horizons mission detected small, exposed regions of water ice on Pluto. Some areas show a reddish tint due to interactions between water ice and tholins (complex organic molecules).

• Cryovolcanism: Ammonia mixed with water ice has been found in tectonic regions like Virgil Fossae, suggesting possible cryovolcanic activity and the presence of liquid water at depth in Pluto’s past.

Mars

• Mars has extensive evidence of water in various forms:

  • Frozen polar ice caps.

  • Subsurface lakes of liquid water detected beneath its southern polar region.

  • Historical evidence of flowing rivers and lakes.

Moons Around Other Planets

1. Jupiter’s Moons:

   • Europa: Strong evidence for a subsurface ocean of liquid water beneath its icy crust. This makes Europa one of the most promising candidates for extraterrestrial life.

• • Ganymede and Callisto: Both are believed to harbor subsurface oceans beneath thick ice layers.

• Saturn’s Moons:

  • Enceladus: Geysers ejecting plumes of water vapor and ice particles into space have been observed. These plumes originate from a subsurface ocean.

  • Titan: While primarily known for its methane and ethane lakes, Titan also likely harbors a subsurface ocean of liquid water mixed with ammonia.

• Uranus and Neptune’s Moons:

• Moons like Titania, Oberon, and Triton are believed to have icy surfaces and possibly subsurface oceans, though definitive evidence is still lacking.

Other Locations

1. Mercury:

   • Despite its proximity to the Sun, Mercury has water ice in permanently shadowed craters at its poles where sunlight never reaches.

• Kuiper Belt Objects:

  • Dwarf planets like Haumea and Eris are believed to have water ice on their surfaces.

• Comets and Asteroids:

  • Many comets and asteroids are rich in water ice, contributing to theories about how Earth’s water may have originated.