What trivial, or not so trivial things can you say about water?
What don't we know -- Chemically? Biologically? Spiritually? Religiously? Cosmologically? Poetically? Geopolitcally? ....
27 Answers
You may think that water has no taste, but your hypothalamus would disagree.
There are special taste bud-like receptors in your mouth, and especially in your throat that respond specifically to water. These receptors send signals to the hypothalamus, which then uses the information to regulate other parts of the body.
For example, taking a long drink of water causes a small decrease in the secretion of vasopressin. Vasopressin decreases the amount of water lost in the kidneys. So, to put this another way, when your water receptors tell your hypothalamus that there's some new water coming into the body, your hypothalamus turns around and tells your kidneys that they can let a little more water escape in the urine. [1] This communication is one of the ways the hypothalamus maintains homeostasis in the body.
So why can't you actually detect any flavor in water? Probably because these water receptors don't project to the cerebrum, the part of the brain that processes conscious sensation.
[1] Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology, Ninth Edition- F.H. Martini, J.L. Nath, E.F. Bartholomew. Published by: Benjamin Cummings, 2012.
There are special taste bud-like receptors in your mouth, and especially in your throat that respond specifically to water. These receptors send signals to the hypothalamus, which then uses the information to regulate other parts of the body.
For example, taking a long drink of water causes a small decrease in the secretion of vasopressin. Vasopressin decreases the amount of water lost in the kidneys. So, to put this another way, when your water receptors tell your hypothalamus that there's some new water coming into the body, your hypothalamus turns around and tells your kidneys that they can let a little more water escape in the urine. [1] This communication is one of the ways the hypothalamus maintains homeostasis in the body.
So why can't you actually detect any flavor in water? Probably because these water receptors don't project to the cerebrum, the part of the brain that processes conscious sensation.
[1] Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology, Ninth Edition- F.H. Martini, J.L. Nath, E.F. Bartholomew. Published by: Benjamin Cummings, 2012.
Without water we would not exist.
water is not colourless it is a pale blue/green the deeper it is the bluer it gets
hence...
![]()
![]()
![]()
http://en.wikipedia.org/w
water is not colourless it is a pale blue/green the deeper it is the bluer it gets
hence...
http://en.wikipedia.org/w
Water is necessary for many of the biochemical reactions that make life possible. For example, living organisms need water to break down the different biomacromolecules in the foods we eat down into their smaller constituent monomers (single units), so that they can be absorbed over the cell membrane into cells, and then over the gut wall into the bloodstream for those more complex organisms which have these.
Larger molecules reacting with water to break them down into smaller ones is called hydrolysis. For example, proteins are hydrolysed into amino acids, carbohydrates into smaller, simpler sugars, and lipids (fats) into glycerol and (two or three) fatty acid molecules.
Since many chemical reactions (not just biological ones) require water either as a:
all natural processes (not just biological life on this planet) would be very different without water - a lot of the reactions which occur in our world would not be possible.
For example, acids are acidic because they can dissociate to give H+ ions. Hydrochloric acid only exists in polar solvents such as water, and is only as strong an acid as it is in water - it would be a different strength acid in other, different polar solvents. Hydrogen chloride gas is not acidic at all - it only becomes acidic when it is dissolved in a polar solvent, such as water.
Larger molecules reacting with water to break them down into smaller ones is called hydrolysis. For example, proteins are hydrolysed into amino acids, carbohydrates into smaller, simpler sugars, and lipids (fats) into glycerol and (two or three) fatty acid molecules.
Since many chemical reactions (not just biological ones) require water either as a:
- Reagent - is involved in and gets incorporated in the molecules resulting from the reaction
- Catalyst - is involved in the reaction, but not used up or incorporated - is regenerated straight away) or
- Solvent (as a medium for the molecules to be in),
all natural processes (not just biological life on this planet) would be very different without water - a lot of the reactions which occur in our world would not be possible.
For example, acids are acidic because they can dissociate to give H+ ions. Hydrochloric acid only exists in polar solvents such as water, and is only as strong an acid as it is in water - it would be a different strength acid in other, different polar solvents. Hydrogen chloride gas is not acidic at all - it only becomes acidic when it is dissolved in a polar solvent, such as water.
Many good answers - I'll try to slip in a few I didn't see...
Drinking too much water, too quickly can result in dangerous water intoxication and even death. http://en.wikipedia.org/w
The Wetness of water is an illusory appearence -- what is really happening is that the tiny electrostatic forces (van der Waals) of the water molecules are attracted to many other molecules (adhesion) and to other water molecules (cohesion). And in the presence of narrow passages this action produces the capillary action, where the water molecules are "sucked up" or into those areas.
There is about 326 million trillion gallons of water on Earth. One inch of rain over one square mile is 17.4 million gallons of water. The Atacama desert near the Andes in South America gets only about 1 millimeter of rain per year. Your average density, 1 km diameter by 100 m thick cloud has about the same mass in water vapor (~5g per cubic meter) as a 747.
Adding few drops of water to a Scotch (or other similar beverage) really opens up the nose because of a chemical effect known as the heat of solution, the alcohol+water mixture warms slightly, releasing ethyl alcohols which enhances the bouquet and thus the flavor experience of the whisky. http://chemmovies.unl.edu
Drinking too much water, too quickly can result in dangerous water intoxication and even death. http://en.wikipedia.org/w
The Wetness of water is an illusory appearence -- what is really happening is that the tiny electrostatic forces (van der Waals) of the water molecules are attracted to many other molecules (adhesion) and to other water molecules (cohesion). And in the presence of narrow passages this action produces the capillary action, where the water molecules are "sucked up" or into those areas.
There is about 326 million trillion gallons of water on Earth. One inch of rain over one square mile is 17.4 million gallons of water. The Atacama desert near the Andes in South America gets only about 1 millimeter of rain per year. Your average density, 1 km diameter by 100 m thick cloud has about the same mass in water vapor (~5g per cubic meter) as a 747.
Adding few drops of water to a Scotch (or other similar beverage) really opens up the nose because of a chemical effect known as the heat of solution, the alcohol+water mixture warms slightly, releasing ethyl alcohols which enhances the bouquet and thus the flavor experience of the whisky. http://chemmovies.unl.edu
Water as a metaphor for life.
I have used the phrase, don't push the river when working with patients.
Also "What is your river of life? If you're on it, it tends to be remarkable."
I've liked the idea of most westerners using a rowboat to get in the river and rowing like crazy to in order to get somewhere. The river has an endless supply of water and you are rowing against the rapids just trying to stay even.
Not only that, you are facing the back of the boat so all the incoming crap in the river is going to slam into you as a surprise. In addition, your focus is on all the losses you have behind you, which caused some kind of grief. Not the best way to go through life.
If you upgrade your concepts. A kayak is much more maneuverable and fun. You're facing forward. You don't have to go up river. the river ALL has interesting places.
When we have gone white water rafting, I have always seen the rivers as life's metaphors. The rapids ,then calm places, then rapids again. And when in the calm places, enjoy it but you better empty the boat of excess water and prepare for the intense part.
Water has all kinds of wonderful allegories. It takes on so many forms and sets up the basis of life.
“Down through the years,” one writer has remarked, “the image of a river has frequently been used as a metaphor for life.” Rivers have, for example, been widely regarded as the sustenance of life, forever renewing the fertility of land. Rivers have also been shrouded in mystery as witness the countless efforts to find the source of the Nile River. Rivers have even assumed a spiritual and sacred countenance. The Euphrates and Tygris Rivers are both mentioned in the biblical story of Adam and Eve. For Hindu India the Ganges River is only the most sacred of its many rivers. Finally, rivers have often been the backdrop for theater, musicals, song, dance, and literature. Perhaps the most prominent school of American art in the 19th century was the Hudson River School. And who can remember Mark Twain without thinking at the same time of the Mississippi River?
I have used the phrase, don't push the river when working with patients.
Also "What is your river of life? If you're on it, it tends to be remarkable."
I've liked the idea of most westerners using a rowboat to get in the river and rowing like crazy to in order to get somewhere. The river has an endless supply of water and you are rowing against the rapids just trying to stay even.
Not only that, you are facing the back of the boat so all the incoming crap in the river is going to slam into you as a surprise. In addition, your focus is on all the losses you have behind you, which caused some kind of grief. Not the best way to go through life.
If you upgrade your concepts. A kayak is much more maneuverable and fun. You're facing forward. You don't have to go up river. the river ALL has interesting places.
When we have gone white water rafting, I have always seen the rivers as life's metaphors. The rapids ,then calm places, then rapids again. And when in the calm places, enjoy it but you better empty the boat of excess water and prepare for the intense part.
Water has all kinds of wonderful allegories. It takes on so many forms and sets up the basis of life.
