Instructor Resources

Chapter 1:  Principles of the Natural Behavior of Water

Purpose of Chapter 1

For the Student to Understand

• To allow the student to gain a greater understand the fundamental principles of the behavior of water (H2O)
  Water Molecule: Hydrogen Bond, Adhesion, Cohesion, Surface Tension
  Heat Capacity
  Movement of Water: Gravity, Evaporation, Osmosis, Pumping
  Solvent: Diffusion 
  Suspension
  Buoyancy
  
  
• To allow the student to understand that water behaves according to the same basic principles wherever it is found: in the hydrosphere, inside the human body and during hydrotherapy treatments. 
  
  
• To allow students to understand that each of the fundamental ways in which water behaves is understood scientifically and that there are mathematical formulas describe and predict each of these key behaviors of water. This provides greater understanding of use of water in different ways in hydrotherapy treatments and also in understanding changes that are taking place place inside the human body, which is itself approximately 60% water.
  
  
• To allow the student to experience the different fundamental ways in which water behaves through teaching exercises in this chapter. Through the study of the principles of the behavior of water and the experience of the various ways in which water behaves, the student begins to develop a special relationship with water as a primary therapeutic modality. This special relationship with water becomes further developed by performing a variety of different types of hydrotherapy treatments that involve all the different natural behaviors of water taught in this chapter. 

Lesson: Principles of the Natural Behavior of Water

Have the students read the chapter and then discuss the chapter during a classroom session. Refer to the textbook for detailed information for the discussion and teaching exercises discussed below.

• Discuss: Why having a understanding of the principle natural behaviors of water, can be important in the understanding and application of hydrotherapy. Internet Educational Resource: HyperPhysics Link (General Principles of Water)
  
  
• Discuss: The molecule, the basic unit of water. Discuss the key elements of the interaction of water molecule including the kinetic energy, hydrogen bond, cohesion, adhesion and surface tension of water. Internet Educational Resource: HyperPhysics Link (Hydrogen Bond), Link (Adhesion, Cohesion), Link (Surface Tension) Refer to Teaching Exercise 1-1, 1-2, 1-3
  
  
• Discuss: Key Behavior of Water - Heat Capacity: This is the ability of water to store and release heat. Internet Educational Resource: HyperPhysics Link (Specific Heat), Link (Phase transition between ice/liquid/gas states)  Refer to Teaching Exercises 1-4, 1-5  See Scientific Research Principle of Heat Exchange:  Hyperthermia Link  Hypothermia Link
  
  
• Discuss: Key Behavior of Water - Movement of Water: This is the behavior of water when some form of energy is applied to the water, including pressure (pumping), gravity, evaporation and osmosis. Internet Educational Resource: HyperPhysics Link (pressure), Link (pressure - blood flow examples), Link (gravity), Link (evaporation) Link (osmosis) Refer to Teaching Exercise 1-8, 1-9
  
  
• Discuss: Key Behavior of Water - Solvent: This is the ability of to act as a natural, powerful solvent which is an essential property of the use of water in hydrotherapy and the behavior of water inside the body. Also, as substances dissolve in water, it changes the pH of the water (solution). Internet Educational Resource: HyperPhysics  Link (solvent/diffusion), Link (pH) Refer to Teaching Exercise 1-3, 1-6
  
  
• Discuss: Key Behavior of Water - Suspension: This is the behavior of water in which substances and objects that do not dissolve in water can be temporarily mixed with water, but will settle out when the mixing ceases. Buoyancy, by reducing the effects of gravity on the body, is an important behavior of water in many types of hydrotherapy treatments. Whether  a substance will float or sink once the mixing action ceases, depends on the buoyancy of that object Internet Educational Resource: Wikipedia  Link (suspension) Refer to Teaching Exercise 1-7
  
  
• Discuss: Key Behavior of Water - Buoyancy: This is the behavior of water in which substances that do not dissolve in water can be temporarily mixed with water, but will settle out when the mixing ceases. Internet Educational Resource: HyperPhysics  Link (buoyancy).  Refer to Teaching Exercise 1-10. See Scientific Research Principle of Buoyancy Link

 REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What is the basic unit of water? Answer: The water molecule.

2. Describe the force of attraction between water molecules. Answer: A water molecule has a small negative charge on the hydrogen side of the water molecule and a small negative charge on the oxygen side. Opposite forces (charges) attract, which produce a weak "hydrogen bonding" between water molecules.

3. Give an example of surface tension and adhesion of water. Answer: An example of surface tension is the shape of a water molecule. An example of adhesion is a water drop adhering to the side of a glass.

4. Which causes greater transfer of heat, when the body is in contact with cold air or cold water? Answer: Cold water. There is 20 times great rate of heat transfer.

5. If a person is sitting in a hot tub with water temperature of about 104 F, will there be greater heating of the body if the water in the hot tub is also circulating? Answer: Yes. Convection (movement) of water will increase the heating of the body.

6. Explain the way the evaporation of water in sweat on the skin reduces the temperature of the body. Answer: When on gram of the water in sweat evaporates, it removes 580 calories of heat from the body.

7. What is the behavior of water that allows it to moves from lower elevations to higher elevations (uphill)? Answer: Evaporation.

8. What is the principle behavior of water that causes water to moves from higher to lower elevations? Answer: Gravity

9. How many gallons of blood does the heart pump each day and how long is the blood vessel system in the body? Answer: 3,600 gallons of blood per day through a vascular system greater than 60,000 miles.

10. What are the two main forces responsible for circulation of the main fluids (blood, interstitial, cellular, lymphatic, and cerebral spinal fluids) in the body? Answer: Pumping (pressure created mainly by the heart) and osmosis.

11. Describe the principle of buoyancy. Answer: Buoyancy reduces the effects of gravity on an object. If the same volume of an object is lighter than the same volume of water, then the object will float. If the same volume an object is heavier than the same volume of water, then the object will sink.

12. Describe principles of the behavior of water functioning in a session in a hot tub. Answer: There will be heat exchange between the hotter water in the hot tub which will increase the skin and core temperature of the person in the hydrotub. The principle of buoyancy will reduce the effects of gravity on the person by about 95%. 

13. How can understanding the principles of the behavior of  water help a therapist develop greater skills in the use of water for hydrotherapy treatments? This is a mainly a discussion questions with the students presenting different ideas. Answer: By having a better understanding of the how the various behaviors of water are producing therapeutic transformations in a client during a hydrotherapy treatment, a therapist will have more control over the treatment.