# Is water a chemical? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 4, 2004, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-water-a-chemical/232593 "2004-03-04T22:02:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Flying\_Monk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/48db29/32.png) [@Flying\_Monk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flying_Monk)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2004, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-water-a-chemical/232593/41 "2004-03-06T11:55:34Z")
\>To be clear, Nishroch Order was responding to someone who mentioned \>an “electric spark in a vacuum.” You can’t have a spark in a vacuum, like he said, \>but you can have electron flow, like you said. Actually, if you read it again, you’ll see that he stated he didn’t think current could flow in a vacuum. I even quoted that part. ---
**Author:** ![Nishroch\_Order](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Nishroch\_Order](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nishroch_Order)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2004, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-water-a-chemical/232593/42 "2004-03-06T12:11:06Z")
Here i am! haha this slight hijack is getting bigger. Well, i did state no medium. If electrons are flying around than that wouldnt technically be a vacuum right? Mainly, I was trying to show that electricity isnt quite like light(of lightning spark). As in, you cant see it in real vacuum. Yes of cos current can travel in vacuum(via electrons carrying the potential). Should have been clearer, anyway yes its important to point out ;). ---
**Author:** ![Quint\_Essence](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/54ee81/32.png) [@Quint\_Essence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quint_Essence)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-water-a-chemical/232593/43 "2004-03-06T14:17:17Z")
When you call something a “chemical” all you are doing is specifying its use to bring about a known result. Chemistry is the study of the composition, properties and reactions of a substance. Since waters properties are “known”, it can be used as a “chemical” to cause a known reaction. It becomes a “chemical” whenever you knowingly use it to cause a change. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-water-a-chemical/232593/44 "2004-03-06T14:26:04Z")
> [@](#): > > I was trying to show that electricity isnt quite like light(of lightning spark). As in, you cant see it in real vacuum. You’re correct that much of the light we see coming from a spark, even in a moderate vacuum, comes from electronic transitions of ionized gases. However, you don’t _need_ ionized gases to see electrons. You can see electrons in a vacuum any time they change energy levels by emitting a photon. That atomless emission is used to great effect in the design of [free electron lasers](http://www.jlab.org/FEL/feldescrip.html). ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2004, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-water-a-chemical/232593/45 "2004-03-06T21:35:34Z")
> [@curly chick](#): > > No, water is not a universal solvent, there is no such thing as a universal solvent. > Nothing exists which dissolves everything else which exists, it would be impossible. But many many things do dissolve in water and life on this planet is based on that fact. > > But if you are looking at **kniz** ’s link above, you’ll see that the website it links to is a schools site and while it is useful for basic concepts, it shouldn’t be taken as the final word on water. The first part of your statement is correct (more on it later), but what’s this about my link going to a “school’s site”? The link goes to an educational site set up for schools by U.S. Geological Survey[\*\*\*\*\*](http://www.usgs.gov/). I take it that you are saying that calling water “the universal solvent” is a simplistic term that was used to make it easier for elementary children. I challenge that and other posts supporting that contention. Here is a quote that supports the first part of your statement from [**Anecdotage.com**](http://www.anecdotage.com/index.php?aid=3793). > [@](#): > > **One day the famed German chemist Justus von Liebig was approached by an assistant, who excitedly declared that he had just discovered a universal solvent. “And what is a universal solvent?” Liebig asked. “One that dissolves all substances,” the assistant explained. “And where,” Liebig replied, "are you planning to keep this solvent?"** So there is no such thing as a truly universal solvent. That does not mean that scientists and others have not referred to water by that term. A google search will produce the following sites. [ul][li] [The Universal Solvent](http://doityourself.com/clean/universalsolvent.htm)[/li][li] [Water - The most “Universal Solvent” known.](http://www.luminet.net/~wenonah/hydro/h2o.htm)[/li][li] [The Nature of Water](http://www.ec.gc.ca/water/en/nature/prop/e_solv.htm)[/ul][/li] **The Nature of Water** makes this statement: > [@](#): > > **An extraordinary property of water is its ability to dissolve other substances. There is hardly a substance known which has not been identified in solution in the earth’s waters. Were it not for the solvent property of water, life could not exist because water transfers nutrients vital to life in animals and plants.** It not only supports your statement but also shows that in lieu of a true universal solvent; water is considered the solvent that most nearly meets the criterion (and not for just 3rd graders). ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2004, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-water-a-chemical/232593/46 "2004-03-06T21:44:21Z")
> [@](#): > > water is considered the solvent that most nearly meets the criterion (and not for just 3rd graders). [It would be quite sad](http://www.rathergood.com/soluble/) if water were a truly universal solvent. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2004, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-water-a-chemical/232593/47 "2004-03-07T00:04:01Z")
**This question wasn’t that complicated!!!** ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-water-a-chemical/232593/48 "2004-03-08T03:37:22Z")
😉 [sup] **Opps, sorry.** [/sup] ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-water-a-chemical/232593/49 "2004-03-08T04:49:48Z")
Yes NurseCarmen, water is a chemical. … oh… its already been answered. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-water-a-chemical/232593/50 "2004-03-08T07:46:00Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > You can see electrons in a vacuum any time they change energy levels by emitting a photon. Technically, you aren’t seeing an electron, you are seeing a photon. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-water-a-chemical/232593/51 "2004-03-08T07:52:01Z")
> [@Urban Ranger](#): > > Technically, you aren’t seeing an electron, you are seeing a photon. Is that a useful distinction? Technically, photons are the _only_ thing you can see. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-water-a-chemical/232593/52 "2004-03-08T10:58:28Z")
It could only happen here. Fifty+ reponses to a question to which the answer is: Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-water-a-chemical/232593/53 "2004-03-08T12:32:18Z")
> [@Urban Ranger](#): > > Technically, you aren’t seeing an electron, you are seeing a photon. Technically, about the only things you _ever_ see are photons, cosmic rays (in space), and posphenes produced by direct stimulation of the optic nerve. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-water-a-chemical/232593.md?page=2)