For example, the oceans make it possible for life to exist on earth because they create more moderate temperatures by absorbing large amounts of solar heat (Riley 3). Otherwise, it would become too hot for plants and animals to survive. Water also helps organisms to regulate their internal body temperatures (Pidwirny 1).

Water has an extremely high surface tension. Riley defines surface tension as being "the attractive force exerted by the molecules below the surface on those at the liquid-air interface" (6). This means that water is "adhesive and elastic, and tends to aggregate in drops rather than spread out over a surface as a thin film" (Pidwirny 1). The surface tension of water allows for the hydrogen bonding of water molecules, which gives water the ability to wet surfaces by adhering to it. It also lets water stick to structures, even though gravity is pulling it downwards. This is...
[ View Full Essay]