Babies have a very high percentage of water in their bodies, while older adults have less. We all know water cannot “burn” like traditional (fossil) fuels, but any hope of extracting energy from it at all, in some other way, can only be crushed by chemistry. Water represents the most precious commodity to the drought-ridden farmers on the great plains. For instance, your blood, which contains a lot of water, carries oxygen to all the cells of your body. Older adults may gradually lose some of their sense of thirst. Indeed, the old Witch never touched water, nor ever let water touch her in any way.”. Water is one of the key reasons for human survival and civilization in general. The Witch has no blood or other bodily fluid; little is holding her molecules together. There is no clear limit for drinking too much water. It is present in the blood, skin, organs, and bones. We’re also aware that wiccans aren’t really melted by water, thanks very much. How should she, indeed? It’s possible that comets made regular water deliveries to Earth. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. We work with and through partners to increase access to financing for those who need it most. A river is compiled of water and water is made up of the elements hydrogen and oxygen. Water is found in three different forms on Earth – gas, solid, and liquid. But when dehydration occurs in the…, There are several different types and causes of fluid retention, which is also known as edema. A commonly prescribed trial for an accused witch was the ordeal by water: the suspect was tied up and tossed into a river. Water is crucial to keep the body working correctly. However, this is rare. “Importantly, all of these cells contain a lot of water, meaning that humans are in fact around 65 per cent water. . (1) When Dorothy first arrives in Oz, her house falls on and kills the Wicked Witch of the East. This ties in neatly with her fear of water. Water: Do we really need 8 glasses a day? The percentage of water in the body varies slightly, depending on factors such as age and sex, but is usually within the 45–75% range. Drinking enough water every day is crucial to health and plays a part in almost all body functions. Drinking water is often overlooked as a necessary part of staying healthy. Click here to learn more about water intoxication. Water makes up more than half of your body weight, and a person can't survive for more than a few days without it. An older review states that water is the most important nutrient in the body. Drinking too much water is difficult. It is difficult for the body to get water from any other source than water itself. Robert Burns, writing a note to his poem “Tam O’Shanter” in 1790 says: “It is a well known fact that witches, or any evil spirits, have no power to follow a poor wight any farther than the middle of the next running stream.” So the association of water as hostile to witches is a long-standing tradition that Baum possibly drew from. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommend: Some tips for older adults specifically include: There is no set daily amount of fluid that a person should drink. What happens if you drink too much water? What is the origin of the song “There’s a place in France/Where the naked ladies dance?” Are bay leaves poisonous. Notwithstanding the movie, Baum’s Wicked Witch is quite different from the fairy-tale wicked witch, although it draws heavily on that tradition. and that you are officially considered an ‘astronaut’ once you travel more than 50 miles above Earth’s surface. “Of course not,” answered Dorothy; “how should I?”. This is due to females having a higher percentage of fat. The thirst is real. This type of trial was carried out as late as the 1690s. The water breaks down the weak adhesion of her body so that she melts away. Once a person feels thirsty, they may already be slightly dehydrated. To create water, oxygen and hydrogen atoms must be present. They’re mostly made of water, but also contain salt, fatty oils, and over 1,500 different proteins. Water Source. Other containers were made from clay or woven materials.The mobility of soldiers during wartime, the increase in outdoor activities such as enough water every day is crucial to health and plays a part in almost all body functions. The simple solution is to drink more. Eating fiber isn’t the only way to prevent constipation. The Witch lusts after the silver shoes but "was too much afraid of the dark to dare go in Dorothy’s room at night to take the shoes, and her dread of water was greater than her fear of the dark, so she never came near when Dorothy was bathing. As an approximate guide, the minimum fluid intake is as follows: Dehydration is more likely in a warmer climate or hot weather. This water distribution means that people with a higher percentage of body fat are likely to have a lower percentage of water in their bodies. Blue oceans, lakes, and seas contain liquid water. The amount varies, depending on age, sex, weight, health, physical activity, and the climate where a person lives. Indeed, the versatility of water as a solvent is essential to … It would take a lot of comets to fill the ocean, but comets could well have made a big contribution. This means that the chemical formula of water is H₂O. The following tables give the average percentages and ranges of water in the body, according to sex and age: Body size, shape, and balance of muscle and fat can all affect the percentage of water in a person’s body. There is more water in lean muscle than there is in fatty tissue. QED. Water towers often operate in conjunction with underground or surface service reservoirs, which store treated water close to where it will be … Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI, protecting the spinal cord and other sensitive tissues, removing waste by urination, sweating, and bowel movements, choosing water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages, adding a wedge of lemon or lime to water to improve taste, not waiting until feeling thirst to drink fluids, drinking a glass of water before and after exercise, taking a sip of water between each bite of food at meals, drinking a full glass of water when taking medication. 2.447 – (0.09156 x age) + (0.1074 x height in centimeters) + (0.3362 x weight in kilograms) = total body weight (TBW) in liters. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. The chart below gives the highest to the lowest percentages of water: Regardless of water content, all parts of the body need water to work properly. By “the book," of course, we mean The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, published in 1900 and a children’s favorite ever since. Hard water is water that has high mineral content (in contrast with "soft water"). These include: People can maintain the balance of water in their bodies by drinking fluids throughout the day. Water exists throughout the body. Why do we cry? Thus, water brings an end to hostile or malign nature. Probably everyone in the western world knows the story through the movie, although the book still has a huge audience of new and repeat readers each year. All rights reserved. Okay, maybe not … Henry Littlefield, in “The Wizard of Oz: Parable on Populism” (American Quarterly, Spring 1964), posits that the Witch symbolizes malign Nature. Baum himself lived in Aberdeen, South Dakota, from 1888 to 1893, and so was well aware of … Water is associated with baptism, and thus the water of the river rejects the witch as satanic. In this article, learn about why it happens and get…, © 2004-2021 Healthline Media UK Ltd, Brighton, UK, a Red Ventures Company. Margaret Hamilton, who played both Wicked Witches, was a fan of the Baum books and asked the producer Mervyn Le Roy why the shoes had been changed to red. Each molecule is made up of two hydrogen atoms joined to one oxygen atom. If she floated, she was guilty, and would be burned at the stake (hence, the water-and-fire making a neat little symbolism). The best of The Straight Dope, delivered to your inbox. About 50 percent of that comes from food, 30 percent from energy use, 10 percent from materials such as clothing, and the rest from home activities such as cleaning and cooking. STAFF REPORTS ARE WRITTEN BY THE STRAIGHT DOPE SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD, CECIL'S ONLINE AUXILIARY. What’s the origin of the skull and crossbones pirate flag? Normally, the molecules of a substance (or Witch) stick to each other, a phenomenon called adhesion. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Water is essential for health and is necessary for numerous bodily functions. Water supply is already limited. This will help achieve safe water and sanitation for all. If she sank and drowned, shucks, guess she wasn’t a witch after all. A person can maintain the balance of water in the body by taking in enough fluids during the day. It is one of the most plentiful and essential of compounds.A tasteless and odourless liquid at room temperature, it has the important ability to dissolve many other substances. A majority of the human body consists of water. Water conservation means using our limited water supply wisely and Iron oxides or iron carbonates can give a reddish brown colouration to hard water deposits . Thus, water brings an end to hostile or malign nature. Water that has evaporated is called water vapor, a gas. How did “nuts” and “bananas” come to mean “crazy”? Water is the principal solvent in the body. Water, a substance composed of the chemical elements hydrogen and oxygen and existing in gaseous, liquid, and solid states. ‘Water is made of two hydrogen atoms attached to an oxygen atom. Similarly, exercise can cause dehydration because the body uses more fluid and loses water through sweat. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Click here to learn more about the benefits of drinking water. A water tower is an elevated building supporting a water tank constructed at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system for the distribution of potable water, and to provide emergency storage for fire protection. After Dorothy has some conversation with the Munchkins and the good Witch of the North, they noticed that “the feet of the dead Witch had disappeared entirely and nothing was left but the silver shoes.” The Witch of the North explains that “She was so old that she dried up quickly in the sun.”, We note the reference to being “dried up.” (As an aside, the silver shoes in the book became ruby slippers in the movie. Most of the human body is water, with an average of roughly 60%. Cells contain 60% of all water in the body, with roughly one-third of the remainder, surrounding the cells. (4) After Dorothy throws the bucket of water on her: . (The movie, sadly, reverts to the traditional image of a broom. I've only seen the MGM movie and have never read the books, so I might be missing some essential tidbit of info, or maybe I'm just an underread fool who can't pinpoint the tiniest bit of symbolism or metaphor, but so what? We also note that the Wicked Witch is afraid of the dark, an amusing reversal of expectations. If you enjoyed the Oz book(s) and movie, you might also like Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, a “biography” of the Wicked Witch of the West from childhood to Dorothy. Comets are mostly water ice. The Witch did not bleed where she was bitten, for she was so wicked that the blood in her had dried up many years before.”, First, note that the WWW carries an umbrella, instead of the more traditional broom. A person should always make sure to drink extra fluids in the heat. The brain and kidneys possess the highest percentage of water; the bones and teeth contain the lowest proportion. Water is used to flush waste and toxins from the body via urine. Find out more about how much fluid the body…, Drinking too much water can lead to water intoxication, which can be fatal. Things so the answer is - no but is usually around 60 % other. 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