Introduction:

Water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen that are present in their gaseous, liquid and solid form. Oil, on the other hand, is made up of hydrocarbons that are present in the Earth in gaseous, liquid and solid forms. Oil has a high carbon and hydrogen level which makes it flammable and slippery.

Water: It seems to be bluish in colour, because it reflects the blue sky in oceans, rivers and lakes. However, it is colourless, as can be seen when you pour it into a glass. It covers more than seventy percent of the Earth’s surface, and is constantly going through processes such as evaporation and precipitation. When in its natural form, water has no smell or taste. Water is the most essential ingredient for the survival of all living things on the planet, including humans, plants and animals. Water is also one of the main substances used to douse fires, and no fire-fighting unit is complete without access to a plentiful supply of water. However, water can also cause great natural disasters. Storms at sea can cause tidal waves that can inundate large areas of coastal areas.An earthquake at sea can cause a tsunami, a tidal wave that can cause great destruction over thousands of miles. The tsunami of 2006, brought about a devastating earthquake in Indonesia, is one of the more deadly examples of what damage can be caused. Sugar, salt and other substances are easily dissolvable in water, and can change its molecular composition. There is some simple health benefits associated with water. It is said that drinking one glass of water before taking a shower reduces the chances of high blood pressure, and one glass before going to bed reduces the risk of a cardiac arrest. Water is a polar substance and has a positive and negative charge.

Oil: Unlike water, oil has odor and taste. It is a greasy substance and at room temperature it is a liquid.There are different types of oils. They may be non-volatile or fixed, essential oils or mineral oil (petroleum). The first group, non-volatile or fixed oils, are edible oils. They have high nutritional value. They are used industrially and have medicinal properties.

Essential oils are extracted from plants. They were first traded in ancient India, Persia and the Middle East. They are called volatile oils and the name ‘essential’ indicates that they are the essence of odor and flavor. Essential oils are used in cosmetics, soaps, perfumes and detergents..

Mineral oils are clear, colourless oily liquids. They are the by-product of the distillation of petroleum and are completely indigestible. They are used for running machines,as lubricants, solvents and insulators. They are also used in hair sprays.

Oil can be boiled to a high temperature, but can catch fire on overheating. .

Unlike water, oil is a non- polar substance.Water is made up of 2 hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom bonded together. One end of an oxygen atom has a slight positive electrical charge and the other end a slight negative charge. Oil molecules are not charged at the ends. As oil is a non -polar substance and water is polar; they do not mix to form a solution.

We have many uses for these minerals, and today we even export them. We have low fat oil, mineral water, and so on. Today, water is a scare resource and we are striving to save every drop we can. In fact, we now have rain water harvesting, which is used to water plants. We also preserve left over oil from fried foods as bio- fuel. Oil that is left as a residue on the shores of beaches is harmful to marine life. We even make oil from fish and use it to preserve food.