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by jaynio_o on February 1st, 2007

jaynio_o

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Why is H2O known as water? when the scientific name has nothing to do with the common name?

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Answers. 8 helpful answers below.

  • by LeMeThink on February 1st, 2007

    LeMeThink

    Scientific names are universal. Different languages have different words for water.

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  • by VOD on February 1st, 2007

    VOD

    I would say the term "water" was around b4 the scientific name was known.

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  • by Quirkie on February 1st, 2007

    Quirkie

    "H2O" tells you more about water than the name "water" does. It tells you that each molecule has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. You can deduce facts just from the name: When Sodium Hydroxide is added to Hydrocloric Acid, you get salt and water ... but in symbols you see:

    NaOH + HCl -> NaCl + H2O

    There are the same number of atoms on each side:
    So now I know that exactly one molecule of water is created for one molecule of each the starting chemicals.

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  • by ChrisDC on March 15th, 2009

    ChrisDC

    VOD had it right. People knew about water probably before we even had language -- and long before we knew what hydrogen and oxygen were, much less that they were the component elements.

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  • by josetakapele on February 1st, 2007

    josetakapele

    The scientific name tells you the chemical composition of the substance. For example H2O means it has 2 Hydrogen atoms and 1 Oxygen atom in it. The common name is just the normal term. Compounds have scientific names so people in other countries can identify the substance?

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  • by Anonymous on February 1st, 2007

    Anonymous

    Often there are many common names for a chemical (vinegar = acetic acid, mehtylated spirits = methanol).
    Science language is universal, wheras each country has a different name for water.
    The chemical formula for water is probably the best know formula in the world (NaCl for salt might be second), so it is actually odd that most people know the formula for it as well as the common name.

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  • by T-Rex on March 15th, 2009

    T-Rex

    What are the different names for the compound H2O?

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  • by fishnets on February 1st, 2007

    fishnets

    A lot of things with scientific names have nothing to do with the common name

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