Question

if matter is made of many tiny particles, why does it seem to be continuous? Why doesn’t water seem to behave like sand?

Answer 1

Answer:

Explanation:

if matter is made of many tiny particles, why does it seem to be continuous? Why doesn’t water seem to behave like sand?

Water and some other molecules exhibit a property know as hydrogen bonding.  A hydrogen atom in one molecule of water is attracted to the oxygen in a neighboring molecules of water.'

The force of this attraction is less than a standard chemical attractive force, but it is real and measurable.

When billions and trillions of water molecules are held together by this force, the small amount of molecule to molecule force is added up to a tremendous force.  That is why even though sulfur is below oxygen on the periodic table, hydrogen sulfide is a gas while hydrogen oxide is a liquid at room temperature.

Hydrogen bonding explains the unique properties of ice, liquid water and steam,We all know water exists in several forms such as solid, liquid and ice. Water boils at 100  C and freezes at 32  F, right? Am I correct? Let us look at some of the chemistry behind forms of water.  

The strong polar bond between water molecules creates water cohesion.

As they are cooled, aggregates of most other substances increase monotonically in density becoming progressively heavier -- the colder they are, the more tightly packed their molecules become. But water possesses a peculiar physical feature: ice expands, so it is lighter than liquid water (i. e., ice floats). When water trapped in rock crevices freezes, it breaks rocks (and pipes).

 

Water is vital to all known life forms, that is, all those on planet Earth. It is so integral to life as we know it that many biologists cannot even envision life without water (although that might be possible). Indeed, the physical properties of water dictate critical thermal limits for living systems.

In one sci-fi story, an alien refers to humans as "ugly bags of mostly water" -- our bodies are about 60-70% water, depending upon how dehydrated we are at any given time. Humans use massive amounts of freshwater to drink, cook, bathe, flush toilets, do laundry, fill swimming pools, irrigate yards and gardens, run flowing fountains, and for recreation. Precious clean water is often wasted, such as when people leave tap water running while washing their hands or brushing their teeth. The personal water consumption of an average American is about 200 gallons per day, but when industrial and energy usage is added in, per capita freshwater usage is more than 2000 gallons/day. People in third world countries use much less water, of course.

Most freshwater is claimed or "owned" and there is not enough to go around. Approximately half of the world's population of people do not even have adequate access to clean drinking water. One of the major symptoms of the human overpopulation crisis is shortages of available fresh water. Wars will be fought over water.