Liberal Arts Blog— States of Matter II — The Miracle of Water — What Do You Know About The Elixir The Rest Of Us Would Delight To Learn?
Liberal Arts Blog — Wednesday is the Joy of Science, Engineering, and Technology Day
Today’s Topic — States of Matter II — The Miracle of Water — What do you know about the elixir the rest of us would delight to learn?
Last time in the first part of this series we looked at the mystery of liquid mercury, the gaseous hormone nitric oxide and “amorphous” glass. Three weeks ago “January syzygy” — the beautiful alignment of celestial bodies last month (and which continues this month). Before that the wonders of the owl with their circular paraboloid faces that act like satellite dishes helping them hear.
Today, the miracle of water. No water, no life on the planet. And we are just walking bags of water.
And have you ever seen anything more beautiful than a snowflake? Water is also most basically unique in that it can exist in three states of matter on earth — liquid, gas, and solid.
What are the most important facts about water that every 3rd grader should know? 5th grader? 8th grader? 12th grader? college graduate?
Experts — please chime in. Correct, elaborate, elucidate.
“ITS HIGH POLARITY ENABLES TO ACT AS A UNIVERSAL SOLVENT” — what does that mean? well, paradoxically, the universal solvent is what makes for “hydrogen bonding” which enables DNA and proteins!
1. “The uneven distribution of charge within a water molecule (positive hydrogen ends, negative oxygen end) allows it to attract and dissolve many different types of substances.”
2. “The polarity of water molecules leads to the formation of hydrogen bonds.”
3. Hydrogen bonds hold DNA together. Hydrogen bonds are weak but crucial. In a sense like DNA — both strong and fragile.
NB: Hydrogen bonds hold proteins together.
HIGH SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY — can absorb a lot of heat without changing its temperature — so what? how much exactly?
1. “This helps regulate temperature in the environment and organisms.”
2. Within organisms, the stability of temperature of water allows for the efficient operation of metabolic processes.
3. In the environment, water “acts as a natural thermostat, regulating the Earth’s climate. Large bodies of water like oceans absorb vast amounts of solar radiation during the day, preventing extreme temperature increases. At night they release this stored heat, moderating the temperature drop.”
NB: “Coastal regions experience more moderate temperatures due to the influence of oceans.”
SNOW FLAKES ARE RIDICULOUSLY BEAUTIFUL , UNIVERSALLY HEXAGONAL BUT COME WITH A PRACTICALLY INFINITE NUMBER OF VARIATIONS (LIKE US) — think of the hexagonal structure of the snow flake as analogous to the double helix structure of us?
1. “Each snowflake forms in unique atmospheric conditions — temperature, humidity, and the path it takes through the air al influence its growth and shape.”
2. “The sheer number of water molecules in a snowflake and the complex ways they can arrange themselves during crystallization leads to an astronomical number of potential snowflake structures.”
3. “Snowflakes often exhibit fractal patterns, meaning they have self-similar structures at different scales. This creates a mesmerizing complexity in their design.”
NB: “Each snowflake is a tiny work of art, a testament to the intricate processes of nature, and a symbol of winter’s magic.”
“Snowflakes are incredibly delicate and ephemeral, melting quickly when they land. This fragility adds to their beauty, as it reminds us of the fleeting nature of winter and the beauty of the moment.”
In this fragility, they are like cherry blossoms, or DNA, or us….
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Properties_of_water
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowflake
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“Make your own Bible. Select and collect all the words and sentences that in all your readings have been to you like the blast of a trumpet.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
My spin — then periodically review, re-rank, and exchange your list with those you love. I call this the “Orion Exchange” because seven is about as many as any human can digest at a time. Game?
A LINK TO THE LAST FOUR YEARS OF POSTS ORGANIZED BY THEME:
PDF with headlines — Google Drive
ATTACHMENT BELOW:
#1 A graphic guide to justice (9 metaphors on one page).
#2 “39 Songs, Prayers, and Poems: the Keys to the Hearts of Seven Billion People” — Adams House Senior Common Room Presentation, (11/17/20)
NB: Palestine Orion (Decision) — let’s exchange Orions, let’s find Rumi’s field (“Beyond all ideas of right and wrong, there is a field. Meet me there” Rumi, 13 century Persian Sufi mystic)
YOUR TURN
Please share the coolest thing you learned this week related to science, engineering, or technology.
Or, even better, the coolest or most important thing you learned in your life related to science and engineering.
This is your chance to make someone else’s day. Or to cement in your mind something that you might otherwise forget. Or to think more deeply about something dear to your heart. Continuity is key to depth of thought.
