as an astrological term, water is one of the elements which are associated with a sign of the zodiac.

water signs tend to react emotionally first, their decisions are made from the heart (which isn't always a good thing). they tend to be very sensitive and empathic, but, if taken to an extreme, they may also be over-sensitive and needy.



the elements: fire, earth, air, water
(This is an original parody of the MSDS for water)

  1. Product Information
    Synonyms: Dihydrogen Oxide
    Molecular Weight: 18
    Chemical Formula: H2O
  2. Composition/Information on Ingredients
    • Ingredient: Water (100%) (not Hazardous)
  3. Hazards Identification & First Aid
  4. Fire Fighting Measures
    • Fire: Use water to extinguish
    • Explosion: Umm... yea... right.
    • Fire Extinguishing Media: Yes, it is.
  5. Accidental Release Measures
  6. Physical and Chemical Properties
  7. Disposal Considerations
    • Whatever cannot be saved should be flushed to the sewer.

Water

  • Constitutes 50 - 95% of weight in all living systems
  • Covers 75% of Earth's surface
Structure:
  • Each molecule is 2 atoms Hydrogen and 1 atom Oxygen, linked by a covalent bond.
  • Neutral in charge
  • Polar, region near H is slightly positive
  • Forms a hydrogen bond

KANJI: SUI mizu (water)

ASCII Art Representation:

                      ,,
                      %%%%,
                      %%%%"
                      %%%%
                      %%%%
                      %%%%               %,,
                      %%%%              ,%%%%,
               ,%%,   %%%%%             %%%%"
  "%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%  %%%%%%,         ,%%%"
               %%%%   %%%% %%,     ,,%%%"
              ,%%%"   %%%%  %%,,%%%"""
             ,%%%"    %%%%   %%%
             %%%%     %%%%   "%%%
            %%%%      %%%%    "%%%
           %%%"       %%%%     %%%%,
         ,%%%"        %%%%      %%%%%,
        ,%%%"         %%%%       "%%%%%,,
      ,%%%"           %%%%        "%%%%%%%,,
    ,%%%"             %%%%          "%%%%%%%%%%%
  ,%%""               %%%%            "%%%%%%%%%
,%""                  %%%%               "%%%%"
                     ,%%%%
                ""%%%%%%%%
                   "%%%%"

Character Etymology:

From a pictograph of a river, the center stroke showing the current and the dots (now drawn as strokes on either side) as ripples on the water's surface. Since ancient time, this character's usage has been blurred with the character for river.

A Listing of All On-Yomi and Kun-Yomi Readings:

on-yomi: SUI
kun-yomi: mizu mizu-

Nanori Readings:

Nanori: uzu zumi tsu do mi misa mitsu mina min

English Definitions:

  1. SUI: water; ice water; Wednesday.
  2. mizu: water.
  3. mizu(ppoi): watery.

Character Index Numbers:

New Nelson: 3030
Henshall: 40

Unicode Encoded Version:

Unicode Encoded Compound Examples:

水曜 (suiyoubi): Wednesday.
水素 (suiso): hydrogen.
(oomizu): flood.
(mizuke): dampness, moisture, juice.
(suisha, mizuguruma): water wheel.
水爆 (suibaku): hydrogen bomb

  Previous: person  |  Japanese Kanji  |  Next: correct

Water is a vital part of life on this planet: it makes up about 70% of all living things. It has several important properties that make it this important:

Water allows all known living things on this planet to survive. Without water, earth would be a rock, lifeless, dull, barren even. It is what makes earth unique in our solar system; it allows life to flourish.

Water, or more specifically, H2O, is not a unique phenomenon to our solar system as we know it, however.

The two examples I will use for the purposes of this writeup will be Mars and Jupiter's moons Ganymede and Europa. Mars has polar ice caps. That is to say, water ice at the poles, though humans have never received samples of this substance to scientifically examine all aspects of it to ascertain its full makeup. It's assumed to be water ice, but with what other elements? This is unknown at this time. It's also believe that there is water in Mars' thin atmosphere; clouds appear from time to time, and there is evidence of water at one time being on the surface, in the form of rivers and flood plains, dark grooves on Mars' surface.

Ganymede is believed to be largely composed, at least on the surface, of water-ice, and nickel- or iron-rich dirt. It must be kept in mind, however, that at the estimated surface temperature of Ganymede's surface, about -200 degrees Centigrade, water ice takes on a more steel-like hardness, as compared to the brittle, rubbery ice we have on earth. (As an example, you can take an ice cube from the freezer and crunch it in your mouth; this would be impossible with the ice on Ganymede.

Jupiter's moon Europa is unique in the solar system. It is believed that the entirety of the moon's surface is water-ice, though at temperatures roughly the same as Ganymede. Various tests have been done, and the theory is that the surface of Europa is about 50 miles thick, and it is likely that there are oceans of liquid water underneath. It is impossible to assume that there would be life in these waters; we simply don't know enough.

There are other factors that make water in its liquid form special: as far as we know, our planet is the only body in our solar system where we are certain water exists. This is mainly due to earth's atmospheric pressure and climate. The atmospheric pressure, in combination with the average temperature of earth as a whole (about 15 degrees Celsius), allows water to exist in liquid form. Venus is too hot, the atmospheric pressure too great for water to exist in the form of surface water. Mars' atmosphere is too thin for running water to exist on the surface. The water would not solidify, even at earth's average temperature (which Mars is believed to be able to surpass, on the equator in high Martian summer), to the point where it could run freely on the surface. And on our moon, water could never exist on the surface, because there is no atmosphere; the moon is barren.

Water is what has allowed life to exist on this planet for four billion years. It is unique, and it makes us and our home unique.

Dave, I didn't know that you liked to get wet!
--Wayne Brady, on The Chapelle Show

In addition to the numerous, much more obvious definitions listed above, "water" is also a slang term for Phencyclidine (PCP), sometimes called "Angel Dust"; it is sometimes a synonym for amphetamines, in a likewise manner. The etymology behind this term is uncertain, although it flourishes in, and may have come from, the rave culture scene. Thus, when PCP is smoked, usually combined with tobacco or other illicit substances, phrases that imply the user being or getting "wet" are common connotations, such as that in the quote above.

WATER
His chops watered at it; he longed earnestly for it. To watch his waters; to keep a strict watch on any one's actions. In hot water: in trouble, engaged in disputes.

The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue.

It becomes hard, in our information-saturated world, to find things to say that are novel and interesting. What do I have to add to the subject of water that someone else hasn't thought of before?

I suppose I have one good piece of information, and one that will seem ridiculous at first. The most basic fact of chemistry, known by everyone, is the molecular formula for water: H2O. But, I will demonstrate, this is not actually what water is.

In chemistry, a distinction is made between a substance, which is a collection of identical molecules, and a mixture, which is (as the name suggests), many different substances mixed together on a very fine level. Conventionally, water is a single substance, while (for example) air is a mixture of several different substances, molecular nitrogen and oxygen, carbon dioxide and elemental argon, amongst many others. Distinguishing between a mixture and a substance is one of the basic tasks of thinking about things in a chemical way.

So, conventionally, water is a substance, H2O. But let us look at some of the properties of water, as we observe them in every day life.

  • Water conducts electricity: That water is electrically conductive is a scientific fact that was impressed on me by my parents in kindergarten, or before. Water's electrical conductivity is quite high, and quite dangerous.
  • Water supports life: Of course, water is necessary to support our life, but things can actually live in water. Fresh and salt water support a bewildering host of plants and animals, in every phylum. Again, this is a kindergarten or preschool level scientific fact.
  • Water corrodes and interacts with the earth around it: This is a little less apparent, and a little less important, than the other two mentioned above. But water's ability to erode through some substances, and to corrode and destroy the rock and earth it moves amongst, is responsible for shaping most of our planet.

What is important about these three properties of water is that, while being properties of water, they are not properties of H2O. H20 is a very poor conductor of electricity, its conductive power only comes from ions dissolved within it. H20 is not able to support life, since everything that lives within it must breathe oxygen. And H20 does not have the power to dissolve certain materials, since much of that comes from the acid or base added to H20 by dissolved chemicals, or by the cavitation effect of dissolved gases.

In other words, these are three (amongst others) common properties of water, that are not properties of H20. This being so, does it make sense to say that water is H20?

The obvious rejoinder is that water is H20, but that it has other substances dissolved in it, which alter its properties. Given the fact that most (fresh) water is, by weight, at least 99% H20, it seems reasonable to describe water as H20 with some impurities. However, there are two problems with this. First, following this line of reasoning, someone could also claim that air was nitrogen, and that the other constituents of air were just impurities. Most chemists would not posit such a thing. Secondly, some of the properties that substances other than H20 bring to water are essential to our understanding of water. The fact that water has enough dissolved oxygen gas in it to support life is not an incidental curiosity.

Thus, I would posit that water and H20 are not identical. Instead of saying that water is a substance that contains small numbers of impurities, it makes as much sense to think of water as a mixture, with the basic physical properties of it being formed by H20, but with many of its important properties coming from other substances.

Wa"ter (?), n. [AS. waeter; akin to OS. watar, OFries. wetir, weter, LG. & D. water, G. wasser, OHG. wazzar, Icel. vatn, Sw. vatten, Dan. vand, Goth. wat, O. Slav. & Russ. voda, Gr. , Skr. udan water, ud to wet, and perhaps to L. unda wave. . Cf. Dropsy, Hydra, Otter, Wet, Whisky.]

1.

The fluid which descends from the clouds in rain, and which forms rivers, lakes, seas, etc.

"We will drink water." Shak."Powers of fire, air, water, and earth." Milton.

Pure water consists of hydrogen and oxygen, H2O, and is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, transparent liquid, which is very slightly compressible. At its maximum density, 39° Fahr. or 4° C., it is the standard for specific gravities, one cubic centimeter weighing one gram. It freezes at 32° Fahr. or 0° C. and boils at 212° Fahr. or 100° C. (see Ice, Steam). It is the most important natural solvent, and is frequently impregnated with foreign matter which is mostly removed by distillation; hence, rain water is nearly pure. It is an important ingredient in the tissue of animals and plants, the human body containing about two thirds its weight of water.

2.

A body of water, standing or flowing; a lake, river, or other collection of water.

Remembering he had passed over a small water a poor scholar when first coming to the university, he kneeled. Fuller.

3.

Any liquid secretion, humor, or the like, resembling water; esp., the urine.

4. Pharm.

A solution in water of a gaseous or readily volatile substance; as, ammonia water.

U. S. Pharm.

5.

The limpidity and luster of a precious stone, especially a diamond; as, a diamond of the first water, that is, perfectly pure and transparent. Hence, of the first water, that is, of the first excellence.

6.

A wavy, lustrous pattern or decoration such as is imparted to linen, silk, metals, etc. See Water, v. t., 3, Damask, v. t., and Damaskeen.

7.

An addition to the shares representing the capital of a stock company so that the aggregate par value of the shares is increased while their value for investment is diminished, or "diluted."

[Brokers' Cant]

Water is often used adjectively and in the formation of many self-explaining compounds; as, water drainage; water gauge, or water-gauge; waterfowl, water-fowl, or water fowl; water-beaten; water-borne, water-circled, water-girdled, water-rocked, etc.

Hard water. See under Hard. -- Inch of water, a unit of measure of quantity of water, being the quantity which will flow through an orifice one inch square, or a circular orifice one inch in diameter, in a vertical surface, under a stated constant head; also called miner's inch, and water inch. The shape of the orifice and the head vary in different localities. In the Western United States, for hydraulic mining, the standard aperture is square and the head from 4 to 9 inches above its center. In Europe, for experimental hydraulics, the orifice is usually round and the head from -- Mineral water, waters which are so impregnated with foreign ingredients, such as gaseous, sulphureous, and saline substances, as to give them medicinal properties, or a particular flavor or temperature. -- Soft water, water not impregnated with lime or mineral salts. -- To hold water. See under Hold, v. t. -- To keep one's head above water, to keep afloat; fig., to avoid failure or sinking in the struggles of life. [Colloq.] -- To make water. (a) To pass urine. Swift. (b) Naut. To admit water; to leak. -- Water of crystallization Chem., the water combined with many salts in their crystalline form. This water is loosely, but, nevertheless, chemically, combined, for it is held in fixed and definite amount for each substance containing it. Thus, while pure copper sulphate, CuSO4, is a white amorphous substance, blue vitriol, the crystallized form, CuSO4.5H2O, contains five molecules of water of crystallization. -- Water on the brain Med., hydrocephalus. -- Water on the chest Med., hydrothorax.

Other phrases, in which water occurs as the first element, will be found in alphabetical order in the Vocabulary.

 

© Webster 1913.


Wa"ter (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Watered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Watering.] [AS. waeterian, gewaeterian.]

1.

To wet or supply with water; to moisten; to overflow with water; to irrigate; as, to water land; to water flowers.

With tears watering the ground. Milton.

Men whose lives gilded on like rivers that water the woodlands. Longfellow.

2.

To supply with water for drink; to cause or allow to drink; as, to water cattle and horses.

3.

To wet and calender, as cloth, so as to impart to it a lustrous appearance in wavy lines; to diversify with wavelike lines; as, to water silk. Cf. Water, n., 6.

4.

To add water to (anything), thereby extending the quantity or bulk while reducing the strength or quality; to extend; to dilute; to weaken.

To water stock, to increase the capital stock of a company by issuing new stock, thus diminishing the value of the individual shares. Cf. Water, n., 7. [Brokers' Cant]

 

© Webster 1913.


Wa"ter, v. i.

1.

To shed, secrete, or fill with, water or liquid matter; as, his eyes began to water.

If thine eyes can water for his death. Shak.

2.

To get or take in water; as, the ship put into port to water.

The mouth waters, a phrase denoting that a person or animal has a longing desire for something, since the sight of food often causes one who is hungry to have an increased flow of saliva.

 

© Webster 1913.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.