Why Water Molecules Are So Weird (and Wonderful)

Water molecules have a bent shape, with oxygen pulling electrons closer than hydrogen.
This uneven sharing makes water a polar molecule with positive and negative ends.
Water molecules stick together through hydrogen bonds, creating surface tension.
Ice floats because solid water is less dense than liquid water—rare among substances.
Water absorbs lots of heat without big temperature changes, stabilizing climates.
Its polarity lets it dissolve more substances than any other liquid, earning it the title “universal solvent.”
Water climbs against gravity in plants through cohesion and adhesion.
Hydrogen bonding makes water molecules clump, giving drops their rounded shape.
Water’s properties make life possible, from regulating body temperature to supporting cells.
Without water’s “weirdness,” Earth would be a barren, lifeless planet.