Importance of Water: Uses, Conservation, Facts

You have landed on the right page to learn about the Importance of Water. Water is the most precious natural resource on the earth. Plants, animals, and human beings, all need water to survive. Every morning we need water for brushing our teeth, bathing, drinking, cooking food, and many other purposes. We cannot even think of our life without water. But do we have any idea that this precious natural resource is available in a very limited quantity on our planet?

Yes, though \(71\% \) of the earth’s surface is covered with water, only a small proportion is drinkable, i.e., freshwater. About \(97\% \) of the water on our planet is saltwater present in oceans and sea, and only \(3\% \) is fresh water in the form of lakes, rivers, water vapours, etc., that we can use for our daily requirements and drinking. Water is useful in all aspects of life, also in industries. Water is also known as a universal solvent.

Importance of Water

As a result, it holds particular importance in chemistry for carrying out various chemical reactions. Since fresh water is available in limited quantity in nature, it needs to be conserved because the rate with which water gets replenished through the water cycle is much slower than the rate with which it is consumed. Continue reading to know more. 

Important Properties of Water

Water is a crucial resource available on our planet. It has several unique properties that make it more essential for survival. Some important properties of water are:

• 1. Water is a polar molecule. It dissolves many substances very well, so it is considered a very good solvent.
• 2. Water can absorb and give off a lot of heat without changing its temperature because it has high specific heat. This property of water helps to regulate the temperature of the environment.
• 3. The polarity of water molecules makes them good cohesive and adhesive.
• 4. Water is available in all three states of matter (solid, liquid, and gas) due to its boiling andzing points.
• 5. Water is a transparent liquid. It allows light to pass through it. Due to this property, aquatic life survives inside the water bodies.
• 6. The pH of water is \(7\), i.e., it is a neutral compound.

Importance of Water in Plants

1. Water is essential for the germination of seeds.
2. Nutrients and minerals are transported from the soil to the plants with the help of water.
3. Plants cannot survive without water because water helps in photosynthesis, by which green plants prepare their food.
4. Water helps to maintain the plant structure by providing suitable pressure to the plant tissues.

Importance of Water in Living Organisms

• 1. Medium for metabolic reaction – Metabolism is the process by which complex compounds are broken down in the cells of living organisms to generate energy. This energy is crucial for growth and maintenance. Water acts as the medium in the body of many living organisms to carry out various chemical reactions. Water is essential for moving respiratory gases, nutrients, and hormones through the bloodstream.
• 2. Habitat for many creatures – Water is a habitat for many aquatic creatures. Respiratory gases dissolved in the water help the aquatic animals and plants to breathe. Many fishes dwell in oceans as well as in lakes or ponds. There are plenty of microorganisms and plants that live in water.
• 3. Modulates body temperature – Enzymes catalyze a majority of the metabolic reactions in the body of living organisms. These enzymes need a specific range of temperature to act optimally. Water helps in keeping a moderate range of temperature in the body for these enzymes to act properly. 
• 4. Regulation of pH – The body of living organisms works well in a specific pH range. Water helps to reduce the acidic or alkaline level in the body and keeps the body in neutral conditions.

Importance of Water in Human Beings

About \(70\% \) of the human body contains water. Apart from our daily routines like washing clothes, and bathing, Every cell of our body needs to be properly hydrated to carry on all their functions properly. Water is of immense importance to human beings. Some of the important points are mentioned below:

• 1. Water aids in digestion – We are always advised to drink water before, during, and sometimes after a meal. Water helps our body break down food more easily, which helps in the proper digestion of food.
• 2. Absorption of Nutrients – Along with digestion, water helps in nutrient absorption in the body of human beings. It helps to dissolve vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from the food to the bloodstream and then delivers these vitamin components to the rest of the body for use.
• 3. To fight against diseases – If we drink \(7\) to \(8\) glasses of water regularly, we can prevent many diseases such as constipation, kidney stones, asthma, dehydration, urinary tract infection, hypertension, and many more. As water helps to absorb essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from the food, this will increase our chances of staying healthy.
• 4. Increase oxygen circulation – Water also increases the circulation of oxygen throughout the body.
• 5. Water acts as an energy booster – As we know, water plays a crucial role in metabolism. This releases a large amount of energy in the form of ATP. Thus, we feel energetic if we take a sufficient amount of water.

Importance of Water in Chemistry

• 1. Water as Universal solvent – In chemical laboratories, we often use water (distilled water) to dissolve the various ionic chemical compounds to form an aqueous solution that helps carry on chemical reactions. Due to its extensive use to dissolve various molecules, water is well known as a ‘universal solvent’ in chemistry.
• 2. Water Bath – A water bath is a laboratory equipment used to incubate chemical samples at a constant temperature over a long period. Instead of directly heating flammable chemicals in an open flame, the water bath is a preferred heat source to prevent ignition.
• 3. In Food Chemistry – The mobility of molecules in food is determined by the amount of moisture in food. Macromolecules in food like proteins and polysaccharides, vitamins are hydrophilic and thus need moisture to move about. In this case, water acts as a plasticiser (a softening agent).
• 4. Hydrogen Bonding – When water molecules come close to each other, a weak bond is established between the electrons of the lone pairs of the oxygen atom of one water molecule and the partially positively charged hydrogen atoms of another water molecule. The weak bond that often forms between hydrogen atoms and neighbouring oxygen atoms is called the hydrogen bond. Hydrogen bonds are prevalent in living organisms – for example, hydrogen bonds are formed between the bases of DNA to help hold the DNA chain together. 

Other Examples of Importance of Water

Apart from sustaining life, water has various other importance in different fields such as:

1. In Industries

Water is essential in various industries as listed below:

• a. Textile Industry – Water is essential in the textile industry to clean raw fibres by flushing water to remove dirt, oil stains, and other impurities from raw materials. 
• b. Paper Industry – Water is used to manufacture pulp and paper of varied qualities.
• c. Pharmaceutical Industry – Water in the pharmaceutical industry is used not only as raw material but is also usually used for the cleaning and rinsing processes required in the processing plant.
• d. Hydroelectric Power Plants – Water is a very useful renewable source of energy in hydroelectric power plants where electricity is produced with the help of water that falls from a height to spin the turbine. Such power plants are very helpful in maintaining sustainable development.

2. In Agriculture 

Water is the chief resource in agriculture. Proper irrigation facilities are very important for crops to grow well. It is estimated that around \(70\% \) of available freshwater is used in irrigation itself.

3. As a Fire Extinguishing Agent

Water is very useful in extinguishing fire because of its high specific heat and high latent heat of evaporation. Water cools and extinguishes the fire at the same time. Apart from fire, we can put out a fire by smothering it with dirt, sand, or any other covering that cuts the fire off from its oxygen supply.

4. For Recreational Activities

Water acts as a medium for recreational activities like swimming, boating, water sports, diving, etc. Such activities are very helpful for our healthy life.

5. In Transportation 

Water transport through ships can carry heavier and more goods than a truck or a train. Water transport is one of the cheaper means of transport for bulky goods such as metals, logs, and grains, etc. 

Summary

To sum it up, water is the basis of life on the earth. We know that our planet is full of water, but we should be aware that only a tiny amount of the whole water is valuable. Water is used in all aspects of life, such as agriculture is impossible without water as irrigation is done with the help of water. Water helps the proper growth of the plants by photosynthesis. It is used for various domestic uses such as for washing, bathing, cooking, etc.

Water is very useful in large quantities in industries such as the steel industry, fertilizers, chemicals, cement, paper, etc., for cleaning, cooling, power generation, fire extinguishers, etc. We can live without food for some days, but we cannot live without water as water is our primary food source. Further, converting hard water to soft water is a very expensive technique. So, we need to understand the importance of water. Water is very crucial for our health and our daily life activities. But we should use it very wisely so that our future generations do not face any water scarcity.

FAQs

Q.1. How does water play a role in chemistry?
Ans: In chemistry, we often use distilled water to dissolve the various ionic chemical compounds to form an aqueous solution that helps to carry on chemical reactions. Due to its extensive use to dissolve a variety of molecules, water is well known as a ‘universal solvent’ in chemistry.

Q.2. What is the chemistry of water?
Ans: Water is a polar chemical compound consisting of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom having the chemical formula \(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}\). Water exists in all three states of matter, i.e., solid, liquid, and gas. The solid phase is known as ice, and the gas phase is called steam. 

Q.3. What are the three most important properties of water?
Ans: The three most important properties of water are: 
(i) Water is a polar molecule. It dissolves many substances very well, so it is considered a very good solvent. 
(ii) Water has high specific heat. Thus, it can absorb and give off a lot of heat without changing the temperature. 
(iii) Water is available in all three states of matter (solid, liquid, and gas) due to its boiling andzing points.

Q.4. What is so special about water chemistry?
Ans: Water is a chemical compound composed of the chemical elements hydrogen and oxygen that exists in gaseous, liquid, and solid states. It is one of the most plentiful and important natural resources. Water can dissolve many other substances. It is a tasteless and odourless liquid at room temperature.

Q.5. What are the five uses of water?
Ans: Water is used for domestic purposes like bathing, washing clothes, cooking, cleaning, and many more. Apart from household work, water plays a vital role in keeping our bodies hydrated and preventing various diseases. Industries also use water to clean and disinfect raw materials. Hydroelectric power plants produce electricity with the help of water that falls from a height to spin the turbine. Water is used as a universal solvent in chemistry.

Q.6. Why are the properties of water which are necessary to live?
Ans: Properties of water, such as a suitable solvent, are essential to life as it helps in the absorption of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals in the bloodstream. Water helps in the easy digestion of food. Metabolic reactions are accompanied by the release of energy that is important to survive.

We hope this article on ‘Importance of Water’ has helped you. If you have any queries, drop a comment below, and we will get back to you.