why does hot water smell different than cold water?

Question

why does hot water smell different than cold water?

In: Biology

Answer 1

If it’s not distilled, 100% pure H20, (which tap water is not), then it’s going to have impurities. Some of those impurities have a smell. The hotter the water is, the faster those impurities evaporate into the air, making their concentration greater, and therefore easier to smell. But, since not every impurity evaporates at the same relative rate at different temperatures, the ratio of those impurities you’re smelling also changes. In short, hotter water gives you more things to smell and a slightly different ratio of things to smell.