Structure and dynamics of liquid water

A review of recent studies on the structure and dynamics of water (in liquid and amorphous states) by physical methods and computer experiment is presented together with a brief summary of historical background. Basic concepts offered for describing the structure and dynamics of water are considered. The structure of water is currently viewed as having a uniform three-dimensional network formed by hydrogen-bonded molecules. The arrangement of this network is dissimilar from that found in any crystal structures; it is dynamically and structurally inhomogeneous. The network is rather labile; water molecules continuously change their neighbors, so that the average lifetime of hydrogen bonds is about a few picoseconds. © 2006 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.