Properties of water

Water has several important properties that make it essential for life. It’s a good solvent, meaning it can dissolve many substances, allowing nutrients to be transported in living organisms. Water has a high specific heat, so it can absorb or release a lot of heat with little change in temperature, helping regulate temperatures in environments and bodies. It expands when it freezes, which is why ice floats—important for aquatic life. Water also exhibits surface tension, forming droplets and allowing small insects to walk on it. These properties support countless biological and environmental processes.