Short Essay on Water and Its Uses – Essay 1
Water is a chemical substance whose molecules are made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Covalent bonds connect these atoms.
The characteristics of water include lack of taste, odorless, colorlessness in small quantities and transparency. Life without water is impossible. The human body has water as its primary component. That is why we have the understanding that water is life. Other than that, water also sustains all kinds of living things.
In the society, we use water for a lot of things.
Uses of water
Domestic use
We use water in our homes for various things such as cleaning, bathing, cooking, drinking, and so much more.
Commercial use
This is the use of fresh water in commercial places such as hotels, motels, commercial buildings, offices, institutions for civilians and the military, and more.
Industrial use
Here, water is used in industries for production. Companies use it for different processes such as dilution, transportation, cooling, and more. Some of the sectors that cannot do without water include chemical industries, the petroleum refining industry, and a few others.
Mining processes
When mining minerals that are naturally occurring, water is used. Such minerals can include metal ores, coal, natural gas, and crude petroleum. People use Water for extraction, milling, and other processes.
Livestock farming use
The animals that we keep at home also need water to survive. On a daily basis, they need fresh water. Other than for consumption, you may also use the water to create fish ponds. There are also other uses such as cleaning the places where the animals stay once in a while.
Irrigation use
Plants are also living organisms, and they need water to stay healthy and productive. Without it, they will wither and die. Whether the plants are for agricultural use or not, they need water. Other than nourishing plants, water is also used to cool these plants.
Power production
We all know of the hydroelectric power. Typically, the source of water, usually a dam, has potential energy. The water passes through turbines and a generator to produce hydropower.
Water is used in many areas of life thus proving its importance.
By Lorah
Essay on Water and its Uses – Essay 2
Covering about 71 percent of the earth’s surface, water is one of the most important factors that support life. It is the most abundant substance on earth, therefore it is extremely important and vital to life on earth. It is obvious that as it is one of the major pillars that supports life on earth, the lack of it can have catastrophic effects on this planet. As such, saving water is one of the most important measures we can take to preserve life on earth as we know it. We will discuss this vital resource extensively in this article as well as consider some of its uses.
Chemistry of Water
For the many amazing things water can be used for, and its application in almost every single form of life, the chemistry behind this important compound is quite simple. It is made up of one oxygen atom, attached to two hydrogen atoms giving the chemical formula H2O. Also widely accepted and referred to as a universal solvent, water is capable of dissolving a large number of other substances, far more than any other element or compound.
The Water Cycle
The water cycle, otherwise referred to as the hydrological cycle is the continuous movement of water molecules from land to water bodies to air and then back to land to begin the cycle again. To understand this cycle, let us consider a few steps.
- The sun is the major source of energy in this cycle as it provides the necessary energy in the form of heat to transform liquid water into its gaseous form. Water bodies such as oceans, lakes and rivers are largely involved in this process as large amounts of water escape their surfaces constantly. Water from plants also turns into a vapour by a process known as transpiration.
- This vapour at a high enough altitude and mass forms into clouds by the coagulation of these water droplets and eventually become heavy enough to fall back down to earth to get precipitated.
- The water that has fallen back down to the ground then runs back into these large bodies of water as well as into the bodies of plants to get evaporated or transpired as the case may be. This completes the water cycle and allows it to begin again.
Uses Of Water
Irrigation
Another basic need of humans is food, and humans have taken it upon themselves to grow what is needed for their own consumption. A wide variety of crops are grown all over the world and in different climatic conditions. However, there is one thing that all plants need regardless of the location they are grown, and that is water. Water, sunlight and nutrition from the soil are all necessary for plants to generate their own food and grow. So irrigation whether natural or artificial is necessary for plant growth.
Cooking
To transform the food we have grown into more appetizing forms for us to eat, it is necessary for us to cook them. While some foods can be eaten raw, it is still vital to wash them properly before ingesting them. Either way, water is needed to prepare food for human consumption. So many cooking processes incorporate the use of water to achieve the desired effects on the food being prepared.
Washing and Cleaning
Apart from the food we eat, water is also necessary to clean other items we interact with, be it our clothes, our houses or other objects. As water is recognized as a universal solvent, it is easily capable of removing dirt in whatever form. As such it makes for an excellent cleaning agent. Water also helps in cleansing and breaking down the large amounts of waste humans produce.
Drinking
Lastly and most importantly, water is necessary for drinking. About 60 percent of our body is made up of water. Any less and we would instantly feel the effects. Our body makes use of water in all its cells, tissues and organs as a regulator for temperature, and also to maintain other bodily functions. As our body loses water when we breathe, sweat, and break down food, it is extremely vital to replace all these lost fluids by drinking water and eating foods that contain water.
By Caleb
Last updated on May 6, 2020