A neglected property of water
Water has many unique properties many of which, perhaps even most, are detailed explicitly in physics, chemistry, biochemistry and physiology textbooks. However, there is one property of water which I have never seen discussed explicitly in any textbook. This is strange because this property is essential for life (and for batteries..).
What is it ?
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1 Expert Answer
Jesse E. answered • 05/09/19
Tutor
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Masters in Chemistry and Bachelors in Biology
It is water as a conductor. My guess on why this property is not mentioned in textbooks is because this concept is overshadowed by water's other properties which are emphasized in freshman textbooks in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, and physiology. In addition, those fields already have a large amount of material to cover so water's conductivity is not mentioned. In other upper-level courses, however, this property will be examined.
Benjamin S.
Hi Jesse, You are right but, even though I got a BS in Electrical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, this all too obvious, concept was never mentioned. I did not fully grasped it until 5 years ago, even tough I have used water treatment systems with resistance of as a measure of water quality. Today, even in talking to other Ph.D's and students I find that to some of them the fact that pure water is a very poor conductor of electrons is "news" Be well Ben
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05/09/19
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Mark H.
If we are speaking strictly scientifically, how could water have a physical or chemical property that does not appear in the textbooks??05/09/19