Water is the most abundant substance on Earth and exists in three states: solid, liquid, and gas. It has unique physical characteristics like being colorless, odorless, and tasteless as a liquid. Its freezing point is 0°C and boiling point is 100°C. Water is made of hydrogen and oxygen atoms and is represented by the formula H2O. Natural sources of water include oceans, lakes, rivers, and groundwater but require purification for human use and consumption. Common purification methods include filtration, boiling, and chlorination which remove various impurities while distillation produces the purest form of water.