for Adam ;]'

It's been 2 and a half years since I wrote this, and when I did, it was last minute. Since then, I've found many things I would like to change, but I have not altered it. I think I should like to remodel this paper in the near future. Gosh, I'm such a nerd. . .

This was definitely my favourite research paper. I was in Lu Wing's class, and I loved it. He's an amazing teacher :]

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Stephanie Minturn
9 November 2006
Genesis Research Paper

Intelligent Design in the Properties of Water

Water is one of the most familiar and basic substances to man and a necessary part of organic life; and although it may seem a fairly simple substance, it is, in reality, of extreme complexity and it has many properties remarkably unique that are necessary for the preservation of life. The physical, chemical, and thermal properties of water are all highly specific to sustaining carbon-based life forms; and, in fact, these properties are rarely found in other chemical compounds, and certainly there is not such a combination of highly anomalous properties.

Water is present over most of the earth: nearly three quarters of the earth's surface is ocean; and in addition to the oceans are many seas, lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water. The air contains a great amount of water vapour, although the concentration does vary vastly from place to place. Water is present not only around us, but in us. The human body is about seventy percent water; forty to fifty litres are in the average adult body and it constitutes ninety percent of the weight of a human. Blood plasma is ninety-five percent water; and water is the ideal liquid for blood because the body's circulatory system is designed for the transportation of a substance with such properties as water has. The great amount of water around us is important for maintaining an ideal environment for the sustaining of life.

An important physical property of water is its decreased density in solid form, as opposed to the liquid form. Ice, unlike other solid forms, floats in a medium of its liquid form; in this case, water. This allows for marine life to survive in bodies of water that reach freezing temperatures. More will be discussed about how this physical property and the thermal properties of water are unique and fine-tuned for life on Planet Earth.

The surface tension of water is quite a unique trait—it is significantly higher than any other known liquid. Surface tension is, as defined in Miraculous Molecule, "a behaviour of the free surface of a liquid to act like an elastic skin under tension." Because water has a high surface tension, a container holding water can actually contain more than its volume—the water will form a small dome on top. Small items with greater density than water can float on top of water if carefully placed. The surface tension of water is what allows trees to grow hundreds of feet tall and still contain water at the top—xylem tubes in plants draw the water up by capillary action—done by electrostatic attraction between the water molecules and the plant cells. The water will actually "climb" up the tubes to the tops of the tallest trees. Without this function, plants could not reach heights of 300-plus feet. High surface tension also aids in the production of soil. Water is able to creep into the smallest crevices in rock, and when it freezes; thus expanding, it breaks the rock, releasing minerals, and eventually yielding soil. One other quality generated by high surface tension is the round shape—droplets—formed by small amounts of water. It is fascinating to see how such unique characteristics are actually perfectly designed for ideal function of both simple and complex life forms.

Yet another idiosyncrasy among water's properties is its viscosity. Water has a low viscosity, one that is ideal for life as it exists. A higher viscosity would make it difficult, if not impossible, for the heart to pump blood through the veins; a lower viscosity would cause the destruction of delicate structures. .

The fitness of water would in all probability be less if its viscosity were much lower. The structures of living systems would be subject to far more violent movements under shearing forces if the viscosity were as low as liquid hydrogen...If the viscosity of water was much lower, delicate structures would be easily disrupted... and water would be incapable of supporting any permanent intricate microscopic structures. The delicate molecular architecture of the cell would probably not survive.

If the viscosity was higher, the controlled movement of large macromolecules and particularly structures such as mitochondria and small organelles would be impossible, as would processes like cell division. All the vital activities of the cell would be effectively frozen, and cellular life of any sort remotely resembling that with which we are familiar would be impossible. The development of higher organisms, which is critically dependent on the ability of cells to move and crawl around during embryogenesis, would certainly be impossible if the viscosity of water was even slightly greater than it is. (Michael Denton)

It appears that water is the only substance suitable for the perpetuation of vitality; and among substances, phenomenally incomparable.

Aside from the physical properties, the chemical properties of water are model for life. The reactivity, polarity, electronegativity, bonding properties, and other chemical properties are perfect for the fundamental functions of water.

Water is a nearly universal solvent, dissolving many polar, or hydrophilic molecules. No other substance will dissolve such a vast array of solutes with such effectiveness. Although it will dissolve polar molecules, water does not dissolve non-polar molecules, also known as hydrophobic ones. A great example of this is seen in the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA. The hydrophilic phosphate "backbone" is exposed while the hydrophilic nucleotides are concealed inside. Water will also carry surface active molecules, or those polar on one end and non-polar on the other, to form colloidal suspensions. All of these features are important to biological processes.

Water is also an important reactant--It is a catalyst for virtually every chemical reaction. However, despite its accelerating characteristics, water is neither too reactive, nor overly inert. Again, it can be seen that water is "just right" for life, and one can only wonder how it could be so.

Not only are the properties of water fine-tuned in its chemical and physical properties, but the thermal properties are as well. Again, as in the other aspects, water's thermal properties are highly specific to this chemical so prevalent and necessary for life.

The heat of vaporisation and the heat of fusion in water are high—in other words, it takes a lot of heat energy to vaporise water or to make ice liquid water. The high heat of vaporisation is an important part of the body's cooling mechanism. When we sweat, the evaporation of the water from the skin's surface requires a lot of heat energy, removing it from the source and effectively reducing the excess heat in the body. If the heat of vaporisation of water were less, a great amount of water would have to be lost in order to cool the body by the same amount. The high heat of fusion also is important to the fashion in which water should affect its surroundings. It requires a comparatively large amount of heat to change water from a solid to a liquid, even if the temperature is not affected. Thus, when more heat energy reaches the earth, it is not going to heat the oceans by a great amount, but it will cause ice in the ocean to melt.

Somewhat related to heat required to convert water from one phase to one of greater energy is the heat necessary to raise the temperature of water within a state, known as the specific heat. Because water has a high specific heat (4.184 Joules) as compared to other known substances, it takes a lot of energy to heat up a body of water. Water on the surface of the earth acts as a temperature buffer, preventing extreme highs and lows. Land heats up much faster than water, and without vast amounts of water on the earth, the land masses would reach high temperatures that would make life impossible. Indeed, earth is the only known astronomic body with liquid water and the only known planet capable of sustaining any form of life. Water absorbs much of the heat that reaches earth from the sun and slowly releases it at night, thus keeping the temperature range rather small.

Another highly important thermal characteristic, the expansion of water molecules in their solid state, is an exception among natural laws; and an invaluable one at that. Water generally contracts with a decrease in temperature, until four degrees Celsius. Then, it begins to expand, making it less dense than liquid water; so, ice floats. This is an important function for the prolongation of life. If ice sank, it would not be long before the oceans completely froze, for the ice on the bottom would never melt, and as temperatures reached freezing temperatures repeatedly, more and more water would freeze until all was frozen. But because ice floats, and due to the thermal properties of ice, the water below stays liquid, that the vitality of marine life can be sustained. The thermal conductivity of water is high, but that of ice is low, another important factor. A layer of ice over water prevents heat from escaping the liquid water. It can be seen that all of the anomalous features of water are not inconsequential; for without them, life would not be possible on Planet Earth.

Fascinating and thought-provoking are the scores of unique characteristics of water. Even more intriguing is the observation that every one of these abnormalities is advantageous, if not essential to life. Why is it that this one particular substance, one in great abundance upon the earth, is so unique? It seems as though something or someone was involved in forming such a distinctive molecule. Paul Davies stated, "If the bio-friendliness of the natural world were the result of randomness, we might expect the observed universe to be minimally rather than optimally bio-friendly. But the degree of bio-friendliness we observe in the universe is far in excess of what is needed to give rise to a few observers to act as cosmic selectors." To say that such rarities, and fundamental ones at that, exist in such a familiar substance as water solely by random chance is brave at least. Such a well-planned substance requires a Planner. In Genesis chapter one, verses one and two, it states, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth…And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." Such a statement is sufficient to explain both the fact, God; and the fact that God created water. It would take more faith to believe that such an amazingly life-sustaining molecule could be yielded by unintelligent processes than to simply believe that there is a Being whose knowledge and abilities are beyond mortal man's understanding. Even more staggering is the desire of this God to offer a new type of water, one that brings immortality to man. In John 7:38, Jesus simply said, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink." The whole of the New Testament proclaims that this water He offers will bring about eternal life. When one truly sees the detail and care the Designer has put into water, such an everyday substance, they will be compelled to worship the One who cared so much to make water so special; and they will desire the water that is even better: living water.