<P> Water (H O) is a polar inorganic compound that is at room temperature a tasteless and odorless liquid, which is nearly colorless apart from a hint of blue . It is by far the most studied chemical compound and is described as the "universal solvent" for its ability to dissolve many substances . This allows it to be the "solvent of life". It is the most abundant substance on Earth and the only common substance to exist as a solid, liquid, and gas on Earth's surface . It is also the third most abundant molecule in the universe . </P> <P> Water molecules form hydrogen bonds with each other and are strongly polar . This polarity allows it to separate ions in salts and strongly bond to other polar substances such as alcohols and acids, thus dissolving them . Its hydrogen bonding causes its many unique properties, such as having a solid form less dense than its liquid form, a relatively high boiling point of 100 ° C for its molar mass, and a high heat capacity . </P> <P> Water is amphoteric, meaning it is both an acid and a base--it produces H and OH ions by self ionization . This means the product of the concentrations of H and OH has to be a constant . </P> <P> Because water is a very good solvent, it is rarely pure, and some of the properties of impure water can vary from those of the pure substance . There are also many compounds that are essentially, if not completely, insoluble in water, such as fats, oils and other non-polar substances . </P>

List 5 unique properties of water due to h bonding