The Chef’s Water Dictionary

By Suhas Rao and Johnny Guemple

Table of Contents

1. Polarity2. Hydrogen Bond3. Density4. Surface Tension5. Adhesion6. Cohesion7. Capillary Action8. Universal Solvent9. Specific Heat10. Water Cycle11. FUN FACTS

Polarity

Noun – (Po-lare-ih-tee)Definition – The characteristic of having oppositely

charged polesUse in Cooking – Opposite poles are attracted to

each other, which is why water bonds easily. Because of water’s polarity, large amounts of water molecules are able to stick together to form a cohesive whole, which allows water to be used as an ingredient in various foods. Also, it allows water to bond with other polar substances well.

Hydrogen Bond

Noun – (hi-druh-jin bond)Definition – The bond that forms between

water molecules as a result of their oppositely charged poles being attracted to each other

Use in Cooking – Because of water molecules’ ability to combine with others of their kind, they are able to form a cohesive whole. This makes it easier for water to be used as an ingredient in food.

Density Noun – (den-sih-tee) Definition – A measure of how tightly packed or compact

something is; represented by [unit(s) of mass per unit(s) of volume] Water has a density of 1 g/ml An interesting property of water is that the solid form (ice) has a

lower density than the liquid and floats on top of it, a rare phenomenon

Use in Cooking - When you are cooking with water, you need to know the density of water and the density of the food. If the food is less dense than water, it will float above the surface. If it is more dense than water, it will sink and you will be able to combine the substances more easily to form sauces and the like.

Surface Tension Noun – (sur-fiss ten-shen) Definition – A property of liquids that makes them form thin

layers of “elastic wrap” on the surface that resist substances from entering

Use in Cooking – When adding seasonings to water, they will sometimes sit on top of the surface. This is because of water’s surface tension, which the seasonings cannot penetrate unless we stir them in. One example of this is cooking Ramen Noodles. When the spices and green leaves are first poured in, they sit on top of the water. However, we know that this is not because of their density being lower than that of water’s, since they sink when you stir them in.

Adhesion

Noun – (ad-he-zhen)Definition – The property of water that allows it to

stick to other polar substances This is the reason for why water forms a meniscus.

The water molecules stick to the sides of the container.Use in Cooking – Because of adhesion, water sticks to

the interior of a container rather than forming a bubble like it does when poured on a flat surface. This makes sure that your food is fully covered and cooked properly.

Cohesion

Noun – (co-he-zhen)Definition – The property of water that allows

it to stick to other water moleculesUse in Cooking – Cohesion makes it so that

water falls in droplets rather than individual little molecules, which saves you quite a bit of time while cooking. Can you imagine having to add molecule by molecule of water?

Capillary Action

Noun – (kah-puh-leh-ree ack-shen)Definition – The property of water that makes it

rise in narrow tubes and be drawn into small openings; it is an extension of adhesion.

Use in Cooking – When you are cooking, capillary action causes water to enter into the tiny openings in food, which will cook it more thoroughly. Also, while you fill glasses or cups of water, the way that they climb up the sides is an example of capillary action.

Universal Solvent

Noun – (yoo-nih-vur-sull sawl-vent)Definition – Water is known as the universal

solvent because it is able to dissolve more solutes than any other substance

Use in Cooking – Because of water’s versatility as a solvent, it can be used to create various drinks, soups, and other liquid foods by dissolving different solutes.

Specific Heat Noun – (spuh-siff-ick heet) Definition – The amount of heat required to raise the

temperature of one unit of a particular substance by one degree Celsius

Water’s specific heat is 4.186 joules/gram °C The specific heat of water plays an important role in the natural

environment. Because water’s specific heat capacity is so high, the water vapor in the atmosphere helps to regulate the Earth’s temperature.

Use in Cooking – It is essential to know the specific heat of water in cooking to determine how high you need to turn the heat in order for water to boil

Water Cycle Noun – (wha-tur sigh-kull) Also known as the hydrologic cycle Definition – The regular, continuous path that water follows as it travels through the

environment. In a basic form, it is as follows - -The sun heats up water, making it evaporate into the atmosphere

-Plants transpire out water that they bring upwards from their roots-This water vapor condenses with dust particles suspended in the atmosphere to form clouds-Eventually, the condensed droplets become too heavy to remain in the atmosphere and fall. This is known as precipitation. The water can come down in the form of sleet, hail, snow, rain.-Water collects in oceans, rivers, streams, and lakes, as well as pools known as surface run-off-The cycle repeats itself infinitely

Use in Cooking – Two of the main phases of the water cycle, evaporation and condensation, take place during cooking. When you bring water to the heat where it starts to boil, some of it is turning into vapor and evaporating. If you cook rice, the lid starts to condense with water droplets because of the water inside the cooker that’s evaporating.

FUN FACTS The specific heat of water (4.186 joules/gram °C) is known as the calorie, a widely used

unit of heat Water consumption can decrease risk of certain cancers Only about .3% of all the water on earth can be used by humans The U.S. by itself uses 346 billion gallons of fresh water per day The average U.S. citizen uses between 80-100 gallons of water per day – most of this

comes from flushing the toilet Water makes up approximately 70% of a human’s body The weight you lose after exercise is from water Water’s pH level is 7 The vast majority of foods/drinks contain some amount of water You should consume about 8 cups of water per day Drinking too much water can cause water intoxication, which negatively affects brain

functions An average person can drink a maximum of 3 gallons of water per day – that’s 6 times

as much as recommended