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Water is not classified as a mineral, since it lacks a crystal structure being that it is in a liquid form. Scientifically it can be classified as a mineraloid. 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. However, virtually all mineral reference guides, including Dana's, exclude water from being classified as a mineral. We agree that it shouldn't be listed together with the minerals, nevertheless, we have included it in thus guide just for the purpose of delineating its properties so that it can be compared to the true minerals. (When water solidifies and turns into Ice, however, it is considered a mineral by all accounts.) Water and Mercury are the only two natural substances with a definitive
chemical formula that occur in a liquid state at normal
temperatures.
Water covers more than ¾ of the earth's surface, and is the most common and vital substance. It is a major solvent, dissolving more substances than any other liquid. For this reason, water is almost always impure.
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Chemical Formula |
H2O |
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Composition |
Hydrogen oxide. Almost always impure, usually with salt. |
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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. |
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Streak |
- |
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Hardness |
0 |
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Crystal System |
Amorphous |
Crystal Forms
and Aggregates |
Water is an amorphous without any crystalline form. |
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Transparency |
Transparent to translucent |
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Specific Gravity |
1 |
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Luster |
Vitreous |
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Cleavage |
- |
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Fracture |
- |
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Tenacity |
- |
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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 an electrical conductor. |
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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. |
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In Group |
Oxides; Hydroxides |
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Striking Features |
Liquid state |
| Environment |
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. |
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Popularity (1-4)
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1 |
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Prevalence (1-3)
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1 |
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Demand (1-3) |
1 |
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- Synonym of Saltwater (above)
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Water is the fiber of all life, and there is no physical substance more important than water.
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Have a question about Water? Visit our Q&A Community and ask the experts!
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