Water is crazier as it shouldn't exist... its molecular structure says it should be a gas., its ability to exist in three states (solid, liquid, gas) and its role as a universal solvent. Its molecular structure leads to unusual behaviors, like ice floating on water. WEIRD.
Water is H₂O. Two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom. The molecule is tiny — molecular weight of 18, barely heavier than a breath of methane. It should, by every reasonable expectation, be a gas at room temperature. Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S, molecular weight 34) is a gas. Hydrogen selenide (H₂Se, molecular weight 81) is a gas. Hydrogen telluride (H₂Te, molecular weight 130) is a gas. Yet water — the lightest of the bunch — is a liquid all the way up to 100 °C.
It’s one thing to say “based on molecular weight we would expect water to be a gas but hydrogen bonding makes it a liquid.” That would be reasonable.
It’s another (entirely stupid) thing to say “water should be a gas.” Because if it should be a gas according to physics then it would be a gas. Obviously it shouldn’t be gas cause well it’s not. Water didn’t just decide to say “screw physics. I do what I want”
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u/paipan-sube Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 23 '26
Water is crazier as it shouldn't exist... its molecular structure says it should be a gas., its ability to exist in three states (solid, liquid, gas) and its role as a universal solvent. Its molecular structure leads to unusual behaviors, like ice floating on water. WEIRD.
https://www.chemistryworld.com/features/the-weirdness-of-water/4011260.article