Water
H(2)Ow?
It's familiar as a solid, liquid and gas. Whatever form it takes, it's always H2O.
How molecules interact
What happens when molecules get together? Find out how molecules interact.
Water and molecules, we make the connection in our item on water
Water is the state of the H2O molecule that we know best. Because water is a small molecule, it’s unusual in that it’s in liquid form at room temperature. For a molecule of this size one would expect it to be a gas. The secret is in the hydrogen bonding. Unlike in its frozen form of ice, the hydrogen bonds in water do not create rigid structures, but create molecules that "cluster" together. These clusters of four molecules can link to others. The clusters are continually forming and breaking apart every few picoseconds.
The molecules are in constant motion. The blue colour of water is also a result of the hydrogen bonds. As the molecule vibrates, it drags and pushes against its neighbours, absorbing a little red light, leaving a bluish hue in the light that remains.
Content last updated: 15/02/2005
