The dissolving power of water is very important for life on Earth. Wherever water goes, it carries dissolved chemicals, minerals, and nutrients that are used to support living things. Because of their polarity, water molecules are strongly attracted to one another, which gives water a high surface tension
The average weight of an atom of an element, formerly based on the
weight of one hydrogen atom taken as a unit or on 1/16 (0.0625) the
weight of an oxygen atom, but after 1961 based on 1/12 the weight of the
carbon-12 atom.
