 |
Chemical Formula | H2O |
|
Composition | Hydrogen oxide. Almost always impure, usually with salt. |
|
Color | Colorless, green, gray, brown. Reflection of the sky give large bodies of water a sky-blue color. The actual color of pure water is colorless with a slight blue tinge. |
|
Streak | -- |
|
Hardness | -- |
|
Crystal Forms and Aggregates |
(Amorphous) Since Water is a liquid, it lacks
a crystal structure and is thus not really a mineral
but a mineraloid. One of the scientifically
accepted standards defining a mineral is that a mineral
must have a crystal structure, which water lacks. Many
scientific groups and references, including the acclaimed
Dana's System of Mineralogy, categorize some
mineraloids, such as Opal and Mercury, together with the "true"
minerals. For this reason all amorphous substances that
fall under the definition of a mineraloid are mentioned
in the mineral section of this guide. Water occurs in large and small bodies still bodies of water (oceans, lakes, ponds, swamps), in moving streams and rivers, as raindrops, in puddles, as dew droplets, etc. |
|
Transparency | Transparent to translucent |
|
Specific Gravity | 1 |
|
Luster | Vitreous |
|
Cleavage | -- |
|
Fracture | -- |
|
Tenacity | -- |
|
Other ID Marks | 1) Occurs in a liquid state 2) Freezes at 32º F (0º C) and boils at 212º F (100º C) 3) When salt impurities are present, water is a good electrical conductor. |
|
Other Names |  Hydrogen dioxide, H2O |
|
Varieties | Freshwater - Water without
salt impurities Saltwater
- Water containing salt impurities Seawater
- Synonym of Saltwater (above) |
|
Polymorphs | Ice |
|
In Group | Oxides ; Hydroxides |
|
All About | Water is the most common mineral on the
earth. It covers more than ¾ of the earth's surface.
Water and Mercury are the only two minerals that are
in a liquid state at room temperatures. Water is the most famous and the most vital mineral on the earth. It is a major solvent, dissolving more substances than any other liquid. For this reason, water is almost always impure. |
|
Uses | Water is the fiber of life, and there is no physical substance more important than water. |
|
Striking Features | Liquid state |
|
Complex Tests | Water is unique in that instead of contracting when it solidifies, like almost all other matter, it expands upon freezing, and reaches its maximum density at 39° F (4° C). Antimony also exhibits this strange property. |
|
Popularity (1-4) | 1 |
|
Prevalence (1-3) | 1 |
|
Demand (1-3) | 1 |
|
Distinguishing Similar Minerals |
There are no minerals similar to water |
|
Commonly Occurs With |
-- |
|
Noteworthy Localities |
Worldwide |
|
Picture Icon Links |
Sorry. No Images currently available. |
|
Picture Links | Sorry. No Images currently available. |
