Water in the Quran

Different Issues Relating to WaterWater Issue in the QuranQuranic Verses relating to waterLife originated in waterKinds of water in the QuranPure water (characteristics of rain water)Sweet WaterBitter waterOceanography in the QuranTwo seas do not mixBarrier between two oceans of sweet & bitter waterInternal waves and resultant darkness Water Cycle in the Quran and Formation of CloudsWater properties

Water in the QuranIn the Qur'an, water is the key element in Creation and is referred to so frequently- 63 times- that some even speak of the Holy Book's "obsession" or "bewitchment" with water. Arabs are so passionate about water and place so much hope in its coming that they have rightly come to be called "sons of the water of heaven". Among Arab Muslims, the best you can wish for someone from whom you are seeking a favor is "Allah give you water". Thinking of days when all is harmony and peace, when the soul finds serenity, they will describe such days as masqa Allah, "watered by Allah". According to Dante Caponera, for the Qur'an: "After humanity, water is the most precious of Allah's creations" and water, in the Holy Book, is in fact at the service of mankind: "Allah is the One Who has created Heaven and Earth, and sends down water from the sky. He brings forth produce by means of it as sustenance for you. He has subjected ships to you so they may sail at sea by His command; and subjected rivers to you". The Arabs challenged him to perform miracles that related to water, "We will never believe in you unless you cause a spring to gush forth from the earth for us, or have a garden full of date palms and grapevines and make rivers gush forth plentifully through the midst of them2" (Sura 17, The Children of Israel, ayat 92-95).

Quranic Verses on WaterSURAH 24, AYAH 45:Allah has created every animal of water. Of them is (a kind) that goes upon its belly and (a kind) that goes upon two legs and (a kind) that goes upon four. Allah creates what He will. Look! Allah is Able to do all things.SURAH 30, AYAH 48:48 Allah is He who sends the winds so that they raise clouds, and spreads them along the sky as pleases Him, and causes them to break and you see the rain down-pouring from within them. And when He makes it to fall on whom He will of His bondmen, look! they rejoice;SURAH 2, AYAH 22:Who has appointed the earth a resting-place for you, and the sky a canopy; and causes water to pour down from the sky, thereby producing fruits as food for you. And do not set up rivals to Allah when you know (better).SURAH 2, AYAH 164:Look! in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of night and day, and the ships which run upon the sea with that which is of use to men, and the water which Allah sends down from the sky, thereby reviving the earth after its death, and dispersing all kinds of beasts therein, and (in) the ordinance of the winds, and the clouds obedient between heaven and earth: are signs (of Allah's sovereignty) for people who have sense.

Quranic Verses on WaterSURAH 18, AYAH 46:Wealth and children are an ornament of life of the world. But the good deeds which endure are better in your Lord's sight for reward, and better in respect of hope.SURAH 23, AYAH 18:And We send down from the sky water in measure, and We give it lodging in the earth, and look! We are able to withdraw it.SURAH 54, AYAH 12:And caused the earth to gush forth springs, so that the waters met for a predestined purpose.SURAH 67, AYAH 30:Say: Have you thought: If (all) your water were to disappear into the earth, who then could bring you gushing water?SURAH 25, AYAT 47-48:And He it is Who makes night a covering for you, and sleep repose, and makes day a resurrection. And He it is Who sends the winds, glad tidings heralding His mercy, and We send down purifying water from the sky.

Quranic Verses on WaterSURAH 35, AYAH 12:And two seas are not alike: this, fresh, sweet, food to drink, this (other) bitter, salt. And from them both you eat fresh meat and derive the ornament that ye wear. And you see the ship cleaving them with its prow that you may seek of His bounty, and that haply you may give thanks.SURAH 6, AYAH 59:And with Him are the keys of the invisible. None but He knows them. And He knows what is in the land and the sea. Not a leaf falls but He knows it, not a grain amid the darkness of the earth, naught of wet or dry but (it is noted) in a clear record.SURAH 45, AYAH 5:And the difference of night and day and the provision that Allah sends down from the sky and thereby quickens the earth after her death, and the ordering of the winds, are portents for a people who have sense.

Quran on Water and LifeThe Quran: (Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were joined together as one united piece, then We parted them? And We have made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?) (21:30)Modern science affirms clearly that water is the basic component of life, with which the cell is built. Chemists have proven that water is a necessary and active substance used in changes and reactions which occur inside the body. For this reason it is the only fluid which every living thing needs, no matter how large or small it may be, starting with micro-organisms to the largest living animals on earth.The Water which covers the earth in this day and age is approximately 71% and the remainder 29% of the earth is dry land.The main source for the human and animal body is water, as well as the plants, as the scientific analysis shows: body of a human adult from the age of 15 years and upwards contains approximately 71% of water; a childs body contains 93% of water, which indicates 80% of water runs through the human body and the remainder is blood, and as much as 90% water is found in animals and plants.

Kinds of Water in the QuranThe Quran mentions different types of waters according to their degree of purity.Distilled" water which is rainwater as the pure water and pure/fresh waterThe water we drink from rivers/wells is called "sweet" waterThe sea water that holds a high percentage of saltiness as "bitter" water. The Quran about distilled water: And it is He who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy, and We send down from the sky pure water) Furqan, 48.This verse tackles precisely the specifications that scientists label now days as "Distilled Water". The water we drink contains many substances and organisms. A pure single cup of drinking water carries millions of minute organisms like bacteria and viruses, and contains mineral substances like iron, copper, aluminium, sodium, magnesium and calcium. In addition it also contains organic substances like carbon, dust and other substances, all included in what we call as "pure" water.Scientists have discovered that this water can be purified by heating it at the boiling point of 100 degrees Centigrade, then accumulating vapor, condensing it and then cooling it. Scientists say that the best kind of distilled water is rain water right before it descends to the ground and mixes with polluted particles in the air.

Characteristics of Rain WaterThe rainwater is considered exactly as distilled water, resulting from the vaporization of the water from the seas and its condensation in the form of clouds then it descending as rain . Therefore it is thoroughly pure water. The rainwater can remove the dirt on the human skin more than the regular water, thus this water is considered a disinfectant used in medicine. It is free from the viruses and bacteria, also possessing the feature of the absorption of metals, gases and dust particles and any substance that comes into contact with it on a large scale, therefore it is an antiseptic to the atmosphere as well.It absorbs from the atmosphere, sulphur and other substances and minerals such as poisonous lead subsequently the rainwater's essence is acidic.Today, the scientists proved that rainwater is capable of renewing the cells in the body on a larger scale rather than the common water. As for the energy scientists, they confirm that the rainwater possesses bigger quantities of energy, thus positively reflecting on the psychological state of the human.It is not strange that we find the Qur'an mentioning these characteristics clearly in the following verse: (Remember, when He overwhelmed you with drowsiness [giving] security from Him and sent down upon you from the sky, rain by which to purify you and remove from you the evil [suggestions] of Satan and to make steadfast your hearts and plant firmly thereby your feet.) Al-Anfal, 11.

Rain Water in due proportionIn the eleventh verse of Surat az-Zukhruf, rain is defined as water sent down in "due measure". The verse is as follows: He sends down (from time to time) water from the sky in due measure, and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead. Even so will you be raised (from the dead). (Surat az-Zukhruf, 11)This "measure" mentioned in the verse has to do with a couple of characteristics of rain. First of all, the amount of rain that falls on the earth is always the same. It is estimated, that in one second, 16 million tonnes of water evaporate from the earth. This number is equal to the amount of water that drops on the earth in one second. This means that water continuously circulates in a balanced cycle according to a "measure"

Another measure is about its falling speed. The minimum altitude of rain clouds is 1,200 meters. When dropped from this height, an object having the same weight and size as a rain drop, would continuously accelerate and fall on the ground with a speed of 558 km/h, causing great damage to all harvested lands, residential areas, houses, and cars, and people would not be able to walk around without taking extra precautions. What is more, these calculations are made just for clouds at a height of 1,200 meters; there are also rain clouds at altitudes of 10,000 meters which could have made much havoc to everything it encounters. But the fact is different; the average speed of rain drops is only 8-10 km/h when they reach the ground. The reason for this is the special form they take which increases the friction effect of the atmosphere and prevents acceleration when the rain drops reach a certain speed "limit". (Today parachutes are designed by using this technique.) This is not all about the "measures" of rain. For instance, in the atmospheric layers where it starts to rain, the temperature may fall as low as 400 C below zero. Despite this, rain drops never turn into ice particles. (This would certainly mean a fatal threat to the living things on the earth.) The reason is that the water in the atmosphere is pure water. As is well-known, pure water hardly freezes even at very low temperatures.

Kinds of Water in the QuranThe water we drink from the top of high mountains, the rivers, springs and wells is called Sweet Water as it contains quantity of the minerals like iron that causing the water to taste sweet. This definition suits the expression "Furatan"/sweet. While the descending water from the sky is distilled water which possesses the characteristics of sterilization and cleansing and carries not taste! Therefore the Divine described it as "Tahura". So is there repetition in the Quran or is it a miracle? The water as it descends from the sky is pure but when it mixes with the minerals and salts present in the land and become "Furatan"/sweet. This is why the Qur'an mentions two different terms from the rain water and river waters (tahur and furat).This is again due to the fact that the water of the sweet river contains many of the solved metals (minerals) in it, Exalted Allah says: (And not alike are the two bodies of water. One is fresh and sweet, palatable for drinking, and one is salty and bitter.) Fater,12. The Quran about Sweet Water: (and We gave therein lofty firmly set mountains have given you to drink sweet water.) Al-Mursalat, 77:27.

Sweet Water and its sources:According to 77:27-28, Allah mentioned that high mountains and ground water are the biggest suppliers of sweet water. The icebergs on the top of the mountains are the biggest source of sweet water is a fact discovered recently by the scientists, but indicated 1500 years ago in the Quran. According to the modern science:While 67% of Earths surface is covered by water, only less than 2.7% of global water is freshwater. Most of the freshwater (2.05%) are locked in ice caps and glaciers. Only less than 0.7% is available for human use.Over two thirds of the earth's surface is covered with water, 97.2% of which is contained in the five oceans. The Antarctic ice sheet, containing 90% of all fresh water on the planet, is visible at the bottom. Atmospheric water vapor can be seen as clouds, contributing to the earth's albedo.

Volume of water stored inthe water cycle's reservoirsWhen comparing the percentage of fresh water among its sources, we see how the tops of mountains reserve the biggest storage.....

ReservoirVolume of water(106 km)Percentof totalOcean1370 97.25Ice caps/sheets on mountains & glaciers292.05Groundwater9.50.68Lakes0.1250.01Soil Moisture0.0650.005Atmosphere0.0130.001Streams & rivers0.00170.0001Biosphere0.00060.00004

Kinds of Water in the QuranWe wonder why Allah it associated each kind with two attributes, "Fresh and Sweet"-"Salty and Bitter". We know that river water is "fresh", why did Allah add another attribute "sweet"? Where as Sea water Allah described it as "Salty" but why did He assign to it another attribute "Bitter"? At the same time Allah assigned Rain water just one attribute "Pure"? Yes, this is because the rainwater as we saw earlier is pure, distilled and has neither taste nor smell, thus a single attribute suffices it.The sea water is the "bitter" water. In the language the verb "Ujaj" means exceeded the limit, and this is what we find in sea water which maintains saltiness that exceeds the normal limit. Therefore Allah has described sea water as (Salty/Bitter) because the word (salty) is not enough as a description, but the fresh water does contain some salts but we dont sense there presence!!The Quran about Bitter Water: (And not alike are the two bodies of water. One is fresh and sweet, palatable for drinking, and one is salty and bitter.) Fater, 12. Thus in the Quranic description of Sea water we find the word "Ujaj"/Bitter which describes the excessive salt present in it. The Quran does not assign saltiness as an attribute on its own, it doesnt "This is salty" only, but on the contrary, it mentions "It is salty and bitter". From a scientific point of view if we say that the water contains salts then this is ludicrous because all water types contain salts with varying degrees, therefore it is a must to describe the degree of saltiness, and this precisely is what the Quran did.

Water Cycle in the Quran

Water Cycle in the QuranTwo specialists on this subject, G. Gastany and B. Blavoux, in their entry in the Encyclopedia Universalis under the heading Hydrogeology, give an edifying history of this problem.In the 7th century CE, Thales of Miletus held the theory whereby the waters of the oceans, under the effect of winds, were thrust towards the interior of the continents; so the water fell upon the earth and penetrated into the soil. Plato shared these views and thought that the return of the waters to the oceans was via a great abyss, the Tartarus. Until the 18th century CE, this theory had many supporters, one of whom was Descartes. Aristotle imagined that the water vapour from the soil condensed in cool mountain caverns and formed underground lakes that fed springs. He was followed by Seneca (1st century CE) and many others, until 1877 CE, among them O. Volger The first clear formulation of the water cycle must be attributed to Bernard Palissy in 1580 CE. He claimed that underground water came from rainwater infiltrating into the soil. This theory was confirmed by E. Mariotte and P. Perrault in the 17th century CE.

Water Cycle in the QuranTwo specialists on this subject, G. Gastany and B. Blavoux, in their entry in the Encyclopedia Universalis under the heading Hydrogeology, give an edifying history of this problem.In the 7th century CE, Thales of Miletus held the theory whereby the waters of the oceans, under the effect of winds, were thrust towards the interior of the continents; so the water fell upon the earth and penetrated into the soil. Plato shared these views and thought that the return of the waters to the oceans was via a great abyss, the Tartarus. Until the 18th century CE, this theory had many supporters, one of whom was Descartes. Aristotle imagined that the water vapour from the soil condensed in cool mountain caverns and formed underground lakes that fed springs. He was followed by Seneca (1st century CE) and many others, until 1877 CE, among them O. Volger The first clear formulation of the water cycle must be attributed to Bernard Palissy in 1580 CE. He claimed that underground water came from rainwater infiltrating into the soil. This theory was confirmed by E. Mariotte and P. Perrault in the 17th century CE.

Water Cycle in the QuranThe Qur'an told us in a scientific way about all related facts to the water cycle and descending of rains. Let us look attentively at these holy verses which speak about every part of the water cycle. The sun is the driver of the aquatic cycle, Allah says :( And we have made (therein) a shining lamp (sun).) (Srat An-Naba-verse13). Sun spreads the necessary heat and light to evaporate water and to form winds. Winds are the second driver of the aquatic cycle, Allah says :( And We send the winds fertilizing (to fill heavily the clouds with water), then cause the water (rain) to descend from the sky, and We give it to you to drink, and it is not you who are the owners of its stores [i.e. to give water to whom you like or to withhold it from whom you like].) (Srat A-Hijr- verse 22). Water which descends from the clouds is stored in the ground for hundreds of years without being spoiled ,taking into consideration that anyone may store the water for only couple of days it will spoil; Allah says:( it is not you who are the owners of its stores) ( Srat A-Hijr- verse 22).After evaporation of water it condenses in the sky in form of clouds, then winds fertilize the clouds, Allah says :( And we send the winds fertilizing) (Srat A-Hijr- verse 22).

Water Cycle in the QuranThe Qur'an told us about the high heavy clouds which are responsible for rains and ice, Allah says: (See you not that Allah drives the clouds gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap of layers, and you see the rain comes forth from between them; and He sends down from the sky hail (like) mountains, (or there are in the heaven mountains of hail from where He sends down hail), and strikes therewith whom He wills, and averts it from whom He wills. The vivid flash of its (clouds) lightning nearly blinds the sight)(Srat An-Nr-verse43) The water" which descends" is stored inside the ground in form of sweet springs to enable life to continue, Allah says: (See you not that Allah sends down water (rain) from the sky, and causes it to penetrate the earth, (and then makes it to spring up) as water-springs, and afterward thereby produces crops of different colors, and afterward they wither and you see them turn yellow; then He makes them dry and broken pieces. Verily, in this is a Reminder for men of understanding.)(Srat Az-Zumar-verse21). If these crops are not transferred to the yellow to be dry and broken pieces and if it remained Green, the cycle of plant wouldn't be renewed and we wouldn't get benefit from those broken pieces which transfer to be oil over hundreds of yeas.

Water Cycle in the QuranScientists say that all of these operations are according to very organized and constant physical laws, Allah says: (And we sent down from the sky water (rain) in (due) measure and we gave it lodging in the earth, and verily, we are Able to take it away.) (Srat Al-Muminn-verse18). Look at the word "in due" which refers to discipline and arrangement. The most important part in this cycle, what is happening at the area which is called the mouth (where rivers flow in seas), Qur'an says: (And it is He who has let free the two seas (kinds of water): this is palatable and sweet, and that is salt and bitter; and He has set a barrier and a complete partition between them.)(Srat Al-Furqn-verse 53) .Unless Rivers are flowing in seas, those seas would be drought. That what happened in the Aral Sea which was supplying by two rivers and because of a human interruption by stopping that supplying, the sea became empty. Scientists say that mountains have a vital role in the descending of rains, forming the clouds and in water purification. Allah says: (And have placed therein firm, and tall mountains, and have given you to drink sweet water?) (Srat Al-Mursalt- verse 27). In this verse a clear link between the mountains and the sweet water. Watch this!

Formation of Clouds in the QuranScientists have studied cloud types and have realized that rain clouds are formed and shaped according to definite systems and certain steps connected with certain types of wind and clouds. One kind of rain cloud is the cumulonimbus cloud. Meteorologists have studied how cumulonimbus clouds are formed and how they produce rain, hail, and lightning. They have found that cumulonimbus clouds go through the following steps to produce rain: Watch This

1. The clouds are pushed by the wind1) The clouds are pushed by the wind: Cumulonimbus clouds begin to form when wind pushes some small pieces of clouds (cumulus clouds) to an area where these clouds converge.

Satellite photo showing the clouds moving towards the convergence areas B, C, D. The arrows indicate the directions of the wind. Small pieces of clouds (cumulus clouds) moving towards a convergence zone near the horizon, where we can see a large cumulonimbus cloud.

2. Joining of the small clouds into larger2) Joining: Then the small clouds join together forming a larger cloud.

(A) Isolated small pieces of clouds (cumulus clouds). (B)When the small clouds join together, updrafts within the larger cloud increase, so the cloud is stacked up. Water drops are indicated by .

3)Stacking: When the small clouds join together, updrafts within the larger cloud increase. The updrafts near the center of the cloud are stronger than those near the edges. These updrafts cause the cloud body to grow vertically, so the cloud is stacked up (see figures 19 (B), 20, and 21). This vertical growth causes the cloud body to stretch into cooler regions of the atmosphere, where drops of water and hail formulate and begin to grow larger and larger. When these drops of water and hail become too heavy for the updrafts to support them, they begin to fall from the cloud as rain, hail, etc.3. Stacking of the Clouds

A cumulonimbus cloud. After the cloud is stacked up, rain comes out of it.A cumulonimbus cloud.

Allah has said in the Quran: Have you not seen how God makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a stack, and then you see the rain come out of it.... (Quran, 24:43) Meteorologists have only recently come to know these details of cloud formation, structure, and function by using advanced equipment like planes, satellites, computers, balloons, and other equipment, to study wind and its direction, to measure humidity and its variations, and to determine the levels and variations of atmospheric pressure. Quran and the Formation of Clouds

The preceding verse, after mentioning clouds and rain, speaks about hail and lightning: ....And He sends down hail from mountains (clouds) in the sky, and He strikes with it whomever He wills, and turns it from whomever He wills. The vivid flash of its lightning nearly blinds the sight. (Quran, 24:43) Meteorologists have found that these cumulonimbus clouds, that shower hail, reach a height of 25,000 to 30,000 ft (4.7 to 5.7 miles), like mountains, as the Quran said, ...And He sends down hail from mountains (clouds) in the sky... Quran and Hail and Lightning

According to this verse, hail is the major factor in producing lightning. In the book, Meteorology Today, it is said: a cloud becomes electrified as hail falls through a region in the cloud of super-cooled droplets and ice crystals. As liquid droplets collide with a hailstone, they freeze on contact and release latent heat. This keeps the surface of the hailstone warmer than that of the surrounding ice crystals. When the hailstone comes in contact with an ice crystal, an important phenomenon occurs: electrons flow from the colder object toward the warmer object. Hence, the hailstone becomes negatively charged.The same effect occurs when super-cooled droplets come in contact with a hailstone and tiny splinters of positively charged ice break off. These lighter positively charged particles are then carried to the upper part of the cloud by updrafts. The hail, left with a negative charge, falls towards the bottom of the cloud, thus the lower part of the cloud becomes negatively charged. These negative charges are then discharged as lightning.6 We conclude from this that hail is the major factor in producing lightning.

This information on lightning was discovered recently.Until 1600 AD, Aristotles ideas on meteorology were dominant. For example, he said that the atmosphere contains two kinds of exhalation, moist and dry. He also said that thunder is the sound of the collision of the dry exhalation with the neighboring clouds, and lightning is the inflaming and burning of the dry exhalation with a thin and faint fire. These are some of the ideas on meteorology that were dominant at the time of the Qurans revelation, fifteen centuries ago.

Oceanography in the QuranThe Quranic information about oceanology/ oceanography is .folds:Seas do not mix and mingleBarrier Between Sweet and Salt WatersInternal Waves and Darkness in the Depths of the Ocean

The Quran on Seas and Rivers:They do not mixAlthough there are large waves, strong currents, and tides in these seas, they do not mix or transgress this barrier. The Holy Quran mentioned that there is a barrier between two seas that meet and that they do not transgress. Allah has said:He has set free the two seas meeting together. There is a barrier between them. They do not transgress. (Quran, 55:19-20)

Modern Science has discovered that in the places where two different seas meet, there is a barrier between them. This barrier divides the two seas so that each sea has its own temperature, salinity, and density. For example, Mediterranean sea water is warm, saline, and less dense, compared to Atlantic ocean water. When Mediterranean sea water enters the Atlantic over the Gibraltar sill, it moves several hundred kilometers into the Atlantic at a depth of about 1000 meters with its own warm, saline, and less dense characteristics. The Mediterranean water stabilizes at this depth.

The Mediterranean sea water as it enters the Atlantic over the Gibraltar sill with its own warm, saline, and less dense characteristics, because of the barrier that distinguishes between them. Temperatures are in degrees Celsius (C). (Marine Geology, Kuenen, p. 43, with a slight enhancement.) (Click on the image to enlarge it.)

The Quran on Seas and Rivers:Barrier between Sweet & Salt waterThe Quran mentions that when two seas, one is sweet and the other is salt, meet together, there remains forbidden divider between these two. But when the Quran speaks about the divider between fresh and salt water, it mentions the existence of a forbidding partition with the barrier. Allah has said in the Quran: He is the one who has set free the two kinds of water, one sweet and palatable, and the other salty and bitter. And He has made between them a barrier and a forbidding partition. (Quran, 25:53) One may ask, why did the Quran mention the partition when speaking about the divider between fresh and salt water, but did not mention it when speaking about the divider between the two seas?

Modern science has discovered that in estuaries, where fresh (sweet) and salt water meet, the situation is somewhat different from what is found in places where two seas meet. It has been discovered that what distinguishes fresh water from salt water in estuaries is a pycnocline zone with a marked density discontinuity separating the two layers. This partition (zone of separation) has a different salinity from the fresh water and from the salt water. This information has been discovered only recently, using advanced equipment to measure temperature, salinity, density, oxygen dissolubility, etc. The human eye cannot see the difference between the two seas that meet, rather the two seas appear to us as one homogeneous sea. Likewise, the human eye cannot see the division of water in estuaries into the three kinds: fresh water, salt water, and the partition (zone of separation).

Longitudinal section showing salinity (parts per thousand ) in an estuary. We can see here the partition (zone of separation) between the fresh and the salt water. (Introductory Oceanography, Thurman, p. 301, with a slight enhancement.) (Click on the image to enlarge it.)

Internal Waves and Darkness in the Depths of the OceanHistory of the invention of diving apparatus:In 1300 AD, pearls divers used the first protective spectacles made of turtle shell. In 1860 AD creatures were discovered at the bottom of the Mediterranean by using an iron cable.In 1865 AD Rouquayrol and Denayrouze invented independent diving apparatus. In 1893 AD Butan was able to take photos under water. In 1920 AD the echo sounding method was used to measure the depths.In 1930 AD Otis Barton and William Beebe were able to dive in the first bathysphere to the depth of 3028 feet. (Masks, fins and respiratory tubes were invented then.)In 1938 AD Cousteau and Emile Gagnan carried out successful tests on a system known as Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA).In 1958 AD Experiments were carried out on the depth submersible (the Sixties) and respiratory gills for breathing under water were invented.Man managed to dive to the deepest area in Pacific Ocean, was able to stay in the deep for several days and discovered vents there and manufactured the yellow submarine and nuclear ones.

Study of marine sciences and sea depths started practically after the eighteenth century, when appropriate instruments and techniques and later advanced submarines were invented. After 1958, man arrived at wonderful findings, such as the following:Sea divides into two major parts:The surface sea that is penetrated by the solar energy and light.The deep sea where the solar energy and light are non-existentThe deep sea and surface sea differ in temperature, density, pressure, the amount of sun light and the creatures living in each of them. They are separated by internal waves.Sea internal waves:Internal waves cover the deep sea and serve as a boundary between the deep sea and the surface sea. Surface waves cover the sea surface and serve as a boundary between water and air. Internal waves were discovered in 1904. The lengths of internal waves range from tens to hundreds of kilometers. Their height ranges from 10 meters and 100 meters.The deeper the sea the darker it becomes till it gets as dark as pitch from the depth of about (200) meters. At this depth there starts the thermocline that separates the warm surface waters from the cold waters of the deep. In it we find the internal waves that cover the cold water in the depth of the sea. Light disappears completely at the depth of 1000 meters.

The darkness in the Ocean gets greater mainly because of two reasons:2) The darkness of the colors of sunlight:Sunlight consists of seven colors (red, orange, yellow, green, indigo, violet and blue). Each color has its own wavelength. The penetration of light ray into water depends on its wavelength; the shorter the wavelength the deeper the light ray penetrates. The red color is absorbed at about 20 meters causing the darkness of the red color. Thus an injured diver at about 25 meters would see his blood black because of the absence of the red color of the light. At about 30 meters the orange light is absorbed causing the darkness of the orange color. At the depth of about 50 meters the yellow light is absorbed; at the depth of about 100 meters the green color is absorbed; at the depth of about 125 meters the violet and indigo colors are absorbed. The last color to be absorbed is the blue color at about 200 meters deep. Thus several layers of darkness of the colors of sunlight top one another because of the depth of water where colors are successively absorbed at different depths.Between 3 and 30 percent of the sunlight is reflected at the sea surface. Then almost all of the seven colors of the light spectrum are absorbed one after another in the first 200 meters, except the blue light. (Oceans, Elder and Pernetta, p. 27.)

2) The barrier darkness: The barrier darkness along with the color darkness contributes to the deep darkness in the deep sea. There are three types of barrier darkness:The cloud darkness: The surfaces of deep seas are often covered with clouds as a result of evaporation. Clouds partially obstruct sunlight and cause the first barrier darkness that is seen as shadow of these clouds on the earth and sea surface.The darkness of surface waves: Long, narrow sea surface slicks associated with internal waves are common features of exposed coastal environments. Such slicks, which may be accompanied by foam or debris, also have been shown to be associated with high concentrations of many types of planktonic organismsThe darkness of internal waves: Internal waves cover deep sea at the depth from 70 meters to 240 meters. Millions of millions of organisms are suspended on the surfaces of internal waves. An internal wave may extend to the sea surface where these organisms appear as dirt gathering together on the sea surface, which makes them along with the inclination of the internal waves an obstacle to prevent light from penetrating into the deep sea. Thus a third layer of darkness occurs.Scientists have recently discovered that there are internal waves which occur on density interfaces between layers of different densities.Living organisms and fish that live in them depend on chemical energy to produce light with which to find their way. Some species are blind and use means other than sight to sense their surroundings.Satellite image of internal wavesFishes at this depth where there is complete darkness use there own lightInternal waves at interface between two layers of water of different densities. One is dense (the lower one), the other one is less dense (the upper one).

The Quran and Internal Waves and Darkness in the Depths of the OceanThe Quran says about the Internal waves and resultant darkness in the following sentence: Or (the unbelievers state) is like the layers of darkness in a deep sea covered by waves topped by waves, topped by clouds: Layers of darkness, one above another. If a man stretches his hand, he can hardly see it. For any to whom Allah gives no light, there is no light. (Quran 24: 40) The Quran informs us of the existence of internal waves in the seas, a fact unknown to people before 1900 AD.Professor Rao was asked his opinion on the phenomenon of the scientific miracles in the Quran of the facts fourteen centuries ago, he said: It is difficult to imagine that this type of knowledge existed at that time around 1400 years back. Maybe some of the things they had simple ideas about, but to describe those things in great detail is very difficult. So, this is definitely not a simple human knowledge. A normal human being cannot explain this phenomenon in that much detail. So, I thought the information must have come from a supernatural source.

Properties of Water: Miracles of AllahPolar moleculeCohesion and adhesionHigh specific heatDensity greatest at 4oCUniversal solvent of life

Polarity of WaterIn a water molecule two hydrogen atoms form single polar covalent bonds with an oxygen atom. Gives water more structure than other liquidsBecause oxygen is more electronegative, the region around oxygen has a partial negative charge.The region near the two hydrogen atoms has a partial positive charge.A water molecule is a polar molecule with opposite ends of the molecule with opposite charges.

Water has a variety of unusual properties because of attractions between these polar molecules.The slightly negative regions of one molecule are attracted to the slightly positive regions of nearby molecules, forming a hydrogen bond.Each water molecule can form hydrogen bonds with up to four neighbors.Fig. 3.1

HYDROGEN BONDSHold water molecules togetherEach water molecule can form a maximum of 4 hydrogen bondsThe hydrogen bonds joining water molecules are weak, about 1/20th as strong as covalent bonds.They form, break, and reform with great frequencyExtraordinary Properties that are a result of hydrogen bonds.Cohesive behaviorResists changes in temperatureHigh heat of vaporizationExpands when it freezesVersatile solvent

Organisms Depend on CohesionCohesion is responsible for the transport of the water column in plantsCohesion among water molecules plays a key role in the transport of water against gravity in plantsAdhesion, clinging of one substance to another, contributes too, as water adheres to the wall of the vessels.

Hydrogen bonds hold the substance together, a phenomenon called cohesion

Surface tension, a measure of the force necessary to stretch or break the surface of a liquid, is related to cohesion.Water has a greater surface tension than most other liquids because hydrogen bonds among surface water molecules resist stretching or breaking the surface.Water behaves as if covered by an invisible film.Some animals can stand, walk, or run on water without breaking the surface.Fig. 3.3

Moderates Temperatures on EarthWhat is kinetic energy?Heat?Temperature?Calorie?What is the difference in cal and Cal?What is specific heat?

Water stabilizes air temperatures by absorbing heat from warmer air and releasing heat to cooler air.Water can absorb or release relatively large amounts of heat with only a slight change in its own temperature.

Three-fourths of the earth is covered by water. The water serves as a large heat sink responsible for:Prevention of temperature fluctuations that are outside the range suitable for life.Coastal areas having a mild climateA stable marine environmentSpecific Heat is the amount of heat that must be absorbed or lost for one gram of a substance to change its temperature by 1oC.

Evaporative CoolingThe cooling of a surface occurs when the liquid evaporatesThis is responsible for:Moderating earths climateStabilizes temperature in aquatic ecosystemsPreventing organisms from overheating

Density of WaterMost dense at 4oCContracts until 4oCExpands from 4oC to 0oC

The density of water:Prevents water from freezing from the bottom up.Ice forms on the surface firstthe freezing of the water releases heat to the water below creating insulation.Makes transition between season less abrupt.

When water reaches 0oC, water becomes locked into a crystalline lattice with each molecule bonded to to the maximum of four partners.As ice starts to melt, some of the hydrogen bonds break and some water molecules can slip closer together than they can while in the ice state.Ice is about 10% less dense than water at 4oC.Fig. 3.5

Solvent for LifeSolutionSolutesolventAqueous solutionHydrophilicIonic compounds dissolve in waterPolar molecules (generally) are water solubleHydrophobicNonpolar compounds

Most biochemical reactions involve solutes dissolved in water.There are two important quantitative proprieties of aqueous solutions.1. Concentration

2. pH

Concentration of a SolutionMolecular weight sum of the weights of all atoms in a molecule (daltons)Mole amount of a substance that has a mass in grams numerically equivalent to its molecular weight in daltons.Avogadros number 6.02 X 1023 A mole of one substance has the same number of molecules as a mole of any other substance.

Molarity

The concentration of a material in solution is called its molarity.

A one molar solution has one mole of a substance dissolved in one liter of solvent, typically water.Calculate a one molar solution of sucrose, C12H22O16.C = 12 daltonsH = 1 daltonO = 16 daltons12 x12 = 144 1 x 22 = 2216 x 11 = 176 342For a 2M solution?For a .05 M solution?For a .2 M solution?

Occasionally, a hydrogen atom shared by two water molecules shifts from one molecule to the other.The hydrogen atom leaves its electron behind and is transferred as a single proton - a hydrogen ion (H+).The water molecule that lost a proton is now a hydroxide ion (OH-).The water molecule with the extra proton is a hydronium ion (H3O+).Dissociation of Water MoleculesUnnumbered Fig. 3.47

A simpler way to view this process is that a water molecule dissociates into a hydrogen ion and a hydroxide ion:H2O H+ + OH-This reaction is reversible.At equilibrium the concentration of water molecules greatly exceeds that of H+ and OH-.In pure water only one water molecule in every 554 million is dissociated.At equilibrium, the concentration of H+ or OH- is 10-7M (25C) .

Acids and BasesAn acid is a substance that increases the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution.Any substance that reduces the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution is a base.Some bases reduce H+ directly by accepting hydrogen ions. Strong acids and bases complete dissociate in water.Weak acids and bases dissociate only partially and reversibly.

pH ScaleThe pH scale in any aqueous solution :[ H+ ] [OH-] = 10-14 Measures the degree of acidity (0 14)Most biologic fluids are in the pH range from 6 8Each pH unit represents a tenfold difference (scale is logarithmic)A small change in pH actually indicates a substantial change in H+ and OH- concentrations.

ProblemHow much greater is the [ H+ ] in a solution with pH 2 than in a solution with pH 6?Answer:pH of 2 = [ H+ ] of 1.0 x 10-2 = 1/100 MpH of 6 = [ H+ ] of 1.0 x 10-6 = 1/1,000,000 M10,000 times greater

BuffersA substance that eliminates large sudden changes in pH.Buffers help organisms maintain the pH of body fluids within the narrow range necessary for life. Are combinations of H+ acceptors and donors forms in a solution of weak acids or basesWork by accepting H+ from solutions when they are in excess and by donating H+ when they have been depleted.

Acid PrecipitationRain, snow or fog with more strongly acidic than pH of 5.6West Virginia has recorded 1.5East Tennessee reported 4.2 in 2000Occurs when sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides react with water in the atmosphereLowers pH of soil which affects mineral solubility decline of forestsLower pH of lakes and ponds In the Western Adirondack Mountains, there are lakes with a pH

Now the question is?Who created water with all the properties it has inherently within? It is Allah who created the water and its inherent properties

*2 corners are orbitals with unshared electrons and a weak negative charge2 are occupied by hydrogen atoms that have polar covalent bonds*Only a hydrogen ion is actually transferredThe transferred proton binds to an unshared orbital of the second water molecule.The water molecule that loses the proton*There is only 1 molecule out of 554,000,000 water molecules that is dissociated.