Physical and Chemical Properties of Water and Heavy Water

As we all know, water is the source of life on Earth. Most of the water is found in our natural resources. However, most of it is found in polar ice caps, making it unfit for use. Only a tiny percentage of water is available readily for our use. This makes it a vital resource on Earth. The chemical formula for water is H2O. Herein, two molecules of hydrogen are bonded with one molecule of oxygen. However, water is being wasted by humans. Only a small percentage that is available readily for use is not being treated well by humans. This makes water shortage a viable concept in the future. The activities of humans have been destroying natural resources since time immemorial. Due to this, climate change and global warming are some of the most frightening concepts of recent times. Global warming is also causing polar ice caps to melt. This means that we’ll soon run out of water. It is high time that we take climate change and global warming seriously and work towards creating a more sustainable and habitable environment for the future. 

The topic we’re dealing with today is Heavy Water. The physical and chemical properties of water will be mentioned below and we’ll study them in-depth. Heavy water has a chemical formula of D2O. It comprises two molecules of Deuterium and one molecule of oxygen. It is also called deuterium oxide. We’ll study the physical and chemical properties of hard water as well. 

Properties of Water 

Water is one of the most critical components present on Earth. About 65% of the human body is composed of water. Even our Earth looks blue, which is mainly covered with water. It dissolves all the major solutes in it. Water is used for almost all daily activities, including drinking, washing, bathing, cooking, etc. Let’s have a look at some of the physical properties of water. 

Physical Properties of Water 

The physical properties of water are different and unique from all the other solvents in Chemistry. This adds to the uniqueness of hard water and why it is important. Some of the main physical properties of water are:

• It is a colorless fluid.
• It is tasteless.
• It works as an excellent solvent and dissolves all the major solutes. 
• It has high melting and boiling points. 
• It aids in the transportation of ions. 
• It has a high dipole moment. 
• The thermal conductivity of water is very high. 
• It also possesses a high latent heat of vapourization. 
• It can regulate body temperature. 
• It has high surface tension. 

Chemical Properties of Water 

Moving on to the chemical properties of water, we’ll walk you through all the possible reactions that hard water undergoes. This will help you analyze its chemical properties better. 

The main chemical characteristics of water are: 

• Redox Reactions 

Redox reactions are reactions that involve simultaneous oxidation and reduction. 

Water is an excellent source of hydrogen molecules. 

For instance, 

2H2O (l) + 2Na (s) → 2NaOH (aq.) 

Water is also a great agent in the process of photosynthesis. It is the life-giving source of plants as well as animals. 

• Amphoteric Nature 

Water is amphoteric. This means that it can act as a base and an acid. 

• Hydrolysis Reaction 

Water can dissolve almost all ionic compounds in them. This means that many covalent and ionic compounds can be dissolved easily in water. 

Properties of Heavy Water 

Heavy water is denoted as D2O. Deuterium is one of the heavier isotopes of hydrogen. It is commonly known as deuterium oxide. The mass of Deuterium is double that of hydrogen. 

Obtaining Deuterium can be a complex process. It is obtained by the electrolysis of hundreds of liters of water. Even then, it is considered partially pure. It is used for various purposes like preparation of Deuterium, metabolic detection, and so on. 

Physical Properties of Heavy Water 

The physical properties of heavy water are distinct and unique. Due to this, it has many uses. We’ll go through it later. Some of the main physical characteristics of heavy water are: 

• At standard room temperature, it is colorless.
• It is also an odorless liquid. 
• When it is mixed with normal water, it forms a homogeneous mixture. 
• If you put an ice cube of D2O in water, it will sink. 

Chemical Properties of Heavy Water 

The chemical properties of heavy water are many. These properties define what makes heavy water special. They include:

• Since it is an isotope of hydrogen, it exhibits different behavior chemically.
• If Deuterium is present highly in normal water, it can chemically affect water’s biological or ecological balance. 
• Heavy water does not dissociate as much as normal water does.
• The concentration of D+ ions in deuterium oxide is always more than that of Hydrogen ions in a water molecule.
• Electrolysis of Deuterium Oxide results in the deposition of Deuterium at the cathode.
• When Deuterium Oxide reacts with a metallic oxide, it produces deuteroxides.
• Exchange reactions are common with Deuterium Oxide. When compounds react with heavy water, the active hydrogen atoms are exchanged. 

Biological Properties of Heavy Water

Heavy water is harmful to humans and animals alike. The biological properties are: 

• It slows down the metabolic reactions in humans, animals, and plants.
• Heavy water can kill many animals like tadpoles, small fishes, etc.
• Tobacco can not possibly grow in heavy water. 
• Heavy water affects the growth of plants and animals adversely. 

Uses of Heavy Water 

There are many uses of heavy water. It is an effective source of Deuterium and can be used for many other purposes. To list some of the uses are: 

• It can be used to obtain Deuterium. It has promising applications in organic chemistry.
• It is used in nuclear magnetic resonance.
• It is used in many nuclear reactors as a neutron moderator.
• Many neutrinos can react with heavy water to form flashes of light.
• Tritium is produced by heavy water too. It requires a moderated reactor. 

Conclusion 

Water is one of the most important natural resources available on Earth. It is as essential as oxygen. It gives life to plants, animals, and many other organisms present on the surface of Earth. It also occupies the largest share of Earth. All the physical and chemical properties of water constitute a lot of its nature of being with the heavy solvent that can dissolve almost all the solutes of the world. 

Heavy water is another form of chemical bonding between an isotope of hydrogen and oxygen. Deuterium is just heavier than hydrogen. It also serves a variety of uses in organic chemistry, nuclear physics, and so on.