The Water Molecule

Water is made of tiny parts called molecules. Each water molecule has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. That is why we call water H2O. Water is the only thing on Earth that is found naturally as a solid, a liquid, and a gas. Every living thing needs water to live.

A Special Shape

A water molecule has a special bent shape, like a tiny boomerang. This shape gives one side a small positive charge and the other side a small negative charge. Because of this, water molecules stick to each other. That is why water forms drops and why some bugs can walk on it.

Why Water Matters

Water can dissolve more things than any other liquid. That is why it is called the universal solvent. Your blood, plants, and oceans all use water to move things around. Water can also store lots of heat, which helps keep Earth's weather steady. Without water, there would be no life on our planet.

Fun Facts

• Ice floats on water because it is less dense than liquid water.
• About 60 percent of your body is water.
• A single drop of water has over a billion billion water molecules.

Did You Know?

Water is one of the very few things that gets bigger when it freezes instead of smaller.