Introduction
Water is a transparent, tasteless and odourless liquid that is essential for all living beings. Water has several distinct properties that are important for the sustenance of life. It is important as a solvent that helps dissolve all the solutes of the body and facilitates several metabolic processes within the human body. There are several uses of water in daily life. It helps to flush out the toxins from our bodies. It plays a critical role in photosynthesis and is released during respiration.
Around 70% of the earth's surface is covered with water. However, only a small percentage (around 1%) of it is suitable for human consumption. There has been an exponential rise in the global population while the supply of water has remained fairly constant. Some of the sources of water like rivers and lakes are getting contaminated due to industrial pollution and poor policymaking.
Oceans and the frozen areas of the polar region hold a large portion of the global water content. The water cycle is a phenomenon where the water vapour created from oceans, lakes, and rivers condenses and returns to the earth through precipitation. The cycle includes evaporation, precipitation, and runoff as the transfer processes. Ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, and seas are some of the sources of water which depend on rains and the water cycle.
Human beings need water for hydration as we regularly lose water during breathing, sweating and digestion. The amount of water that is needed depends on the climate, kind of physical activity and health status of the individual. Other living beings are equally dependent on water for their survival. For plants, the moisture content of the soil helps them to grow.
Characteristics of Water:
Some of the characteristics of water are:
It is a polar inorganic compound.
The water molecule contains 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom.
Its chemical formula is H2O.
The freezing point of water is 0˚C.
The boiling point of water is 100˚C.
The Hydrologic Cycle of Water
The continuous circulation of water in the Earth atmosphere is known as the Hydrologic cycle of water. There are many processes involved in the Hydrologic cycle; the important processes that the students will learn today are evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation and runoff. Now let us look at all these processes in detail.
Evaporation: This process involves a change of state of a substance from water to gas. The evaporation process needs the energy to take place. The source of energy could be Earth, the atmosphere, the sun, humans or any objects on the surface of Earth. For example, a human body sweats after exercise or even due to a temperature change, secreting water on the skin. The basic purpose of this process is to cause the body to use its heat to evaporate the liquid by removing the heat and cooling down the body.
Transpiration: This process involves the evaporation of water from plants through stomata. Stomata are connected to the vascular plant tissue and are small openings that are found on the underside of the leaves. The transpiration process is caused by the humidity in the atmosphere and the moisture present in the soil. Only 1% of the transpired water is used by the plants and the rest 90% is passed into the atmosphere.
Condensation: This process involves a change of water vapour present in the earth atmosphere to change to a liquid state. Clouds or dews are examples of atmosphere condensation. For example, the droplets of water that we see on cold drink bottles. The change of temperature results in the water vapour changing into liquid. Condensation does not take place because of the change of the temperature but the difference in temperature is considered that is the air and dew point temperature (Dew can be formed). Cooling causes the vapour to condense. We must have observed fog, the foggy condition is the result of the air and dew point temperature being the same. Condensation and Evaporation are two opposite processes.
Precipitation: This process involves the particles formed by the condensation process to grow large. This could result through coalescence or collision, by the rising air and thus falls to the earth. Precipitation can be in the form of rain, snow, etc. This process is the source of freshwater that we receive on Earth.
Runoff: This process involves the process when the water cannot be absorbed anymore due to an excess amount of precipitation. Lakes, ponds and rivers are a few examples of runoff. Evaporation of this runoff sets the cycle all over again.
What are the Uses of Water?
There are many different uses of water, and this life-giving resource comes in handy to accomplish everything from our daily chores to helping entire industries function.
Domestic Uses of Water
Water is important for cooking and helps in boiling, steaming and simmering food. Water has unique properties to form solutions and emulsions which make it an effective agent to help in washing clothes, dishes, and food items. Washing with water helps in removing impurities. It is required for taking showers, brushing teeth and maintaining personal hygiene. It is used for gardening at home. Water is used in several home appliances like air coolers. Water is used to generate electricity which is consumed for domestic purposes.
We lose the water in our bodies during breathing, sweating, and digestion. The water content of the body should be replenished by drinking regularly to avoid dehydration and other health problems. Around 1 to 7 litres of water is recommended per day to avoid dehydration
Uses of Water in Agriculture
A large percentage of water is used in agriculture annually. Agriculture requires large quantities of water to grow fresh produce and sustain livestock. It is used for irrigation, pesticide and fertiliser application, frost control and crop cooling. Proper usage of water is important to manage crop yield and productivity. Farmers should follow several water conservation strategies for sustainable agriculture.
Plants use water and sunlight for photosynthesis and produce oxygen. Agricultural water comes from surface water (rivers, streams, open canals, ponds, reservoirs and lakes), groundwater from wells and rainwater. Water is used in all traditional agriculture methods including the cultivation of rice, wheat, sugarcane, etc.
Water quality can be affected by rampant industrialization and the illegal disposal of chemicals in water and the atmosphere. Poor water quality affects the quality of the food crop and may also cause several diseases. Water contamination is the main reason for food contamination and illnesses related to the contamination. Groundwater is a safe source of quality water.
Water is used for livestock, dairies, and fish farms.
Industrial Uses of Water
Water is used in hotels, motels, restaurants, offices, and other commercial facilities.
It is essential in the manufacturing and production of paper, chemicals, automobiles, steel, food, textile production, dying, etc. Power plants need a significant amount of water for cooling.
Water is a universal solvent and hence is used to dissolve several compounds in industrial production. It is widely used as a solvent and less commonly used as a catalyst. Water vapour is also used in several industrial processes. Water is used by smelting facilities and petroleum refineries.
Industrial uses of water are processing, diluting or fabricating a product. Rivers, canals, oceans, and seas provide simple means of transportation. There will be less friction in the water compared to land transport without any obstacles. It offers economic opportunities with an effective way to transport cargo.
Water is a source of hydroelectricity. Dams are constructed across rivers and lakes to store water which is converted to electricity using turbines. Hydroelectricity is a renewable energy source that is used across the globe. It has reduced the dependence on fossil fuels for energy.
Water is used in the extraction of minerals, oil, and gases. It is essential for several critical mining functions. Along with being a solvent, water is used in a steam turbine and heat exchanger.
Medicinal Uses of Water
Water has several medical uses especially in hemodialysis and dental procedures. It is used to wash surgical tools and equipment. It is also essential for hydrotherapy.
Contamination of water with pathogens is an important concern in the healthcare setting as the immune system is weakened in some patients. The waterborne disease can spread through direct contact, ingestion, in-direct contact, and inhalation, aspiration of water and blood contact. Water should be thoroughly treated before it is used in hospitals and clinics. Clinicians should take appropriate measures to avoid contaminating water that will be ingested by the patient.
Top 5 Causes of Outbreaks Related to Water Contamination are:
Legionella
Giardia
Campylobacter
E. coli
Cryptosporidium, Hepatitis A, Mycobacterium, Norovirus, Pseudomonas, Salmonella
Thus, pure water should be available for drinking to avoid such epidemics.
FAQs on Uses of Water
1. Is water used more in Agriculture or Industry?
The amount of water used in agriculture is mostly obtained from rainfall. Agriculture is the dominant user of water on a global level. Food and Agriculture consume about one hundred times more water than we use for our personal needs. 70% of the water obtained from rivers and groundwater is utilised in Irrigation. 10% is used for domestic needs and 20% in Industry. Hence, we can state that water used in Agriculture is more in comparison with water used in Industries.
2. Where do we get drinking water from?
There are two main sources of drinking water that are supplied to our homes. The water either is supplied from groundwater resources or surface water. Surface water is obtained from rivers, lakes, reservoirs, streams, etc. Groundwater is obtained by drilling wells and pumping it to the surface. The groundwater is the water collected in the pores and spaces within rocks and aquifers. This water is then supplied to homes by local water utility suppliers or even individual water systems.
3. What are the health issues related to water quality?
Water that is contaminated can lead to severe health issues. The most common health issues related to water quality are reproductive problems, neurological disorders, gastrointestinal illness, etc. Individuals with a weak immune system are at a higher risk of becoming sick by drinking contaminated water. For example, the presence of an elevated level of lead can cause serious health issues in pregnant women and children. There are laws to protect humans and reduce the contaminants to set levels.
4. What are the physical characteristics of water?
The physical characteristics of water are determined by the sense of touch, sight, taste and smell. We can classify the physical characteristics into temperature, taste, odour and colour. The temperature of the water has different chemical reactions based on whether the temperature is high or low. The water is known to be transparent and any other colour of the water is deemed to be unfit for consumption. Taste and odour are again human perceptions to check the quality of water.
5. What role does water play in the human body?
Water is considered the most critical nutrient of all. The absence of water for a few days for humans can be lethal. Water is called a universal solvent and it helps in dissolving substances inside the body like sugars, amino acids, vitamins, etc. Water is also required for the most basic chemical reaction of proteins and enzymes in the human body. Water helps to regulate body temperature within the body as well.