Explain the compound water, Biology

Assignment Help:

Explain the compound water?

Water :  Water is the most important compound in living cells, making up most of the bulk of living organisms. Our own bodies contain 40% - 60% water. We can survive without food longer than we can without water. Water has several unique properties that make it important to living organisms:

(1) Water is a good solvent. More substances dissolve in water than in any other liquid. Because of its polar nature, water is able to break up ionic compounds into their component ions, freeing them to react with other substances.

(2) Because it is a polar molecule, water is both cohesive and adhesive, which results in capillarity, the ability to move through small orifices or fine pores against the force of gravity and other forces.

(3) The heat of vaporization of water is high; that is, water takes up large quantities of heat when it evaporates, making it a good evaporative coolant. Both plants and animals use water evaporation from surface cells for cooling.

(4) Water has a high specific heat, meaning that it requires a large amount of heat to change its temperature. Since living organisms are made up mostly of water, they gain and lose heat slowly. Water is able to absorb heat from chemical reactions in the organisms.

(5) Water has a high thermal conductivity, or heat conduction, which helps to keep parts of the organism from overheating.

(6) Because of its cohesion, water has a high boiling point. The significance of this is that water does not readily change from a liquid to a gas. In fact, a relatively large quantity of heat is required to change water from a liquid state into gaseous steam.

 


Related Discussions:- Explain the compound water

Amitosis, AMITOSIS This  is  direct  cell division  in which  the genet...

AMITOSIS This  is  direct  cell division  in which  the genetic material is not duplicated and  hence its distribution  to the daughter cells  is not  precisely half  and half,

Procedure for quantitative determination of viable microbes, Explain for Pr...

Explain for Procedure Quantitative Determination of Viable Microbes? Now carry out the exercise following the steps included herewith: 1. Label the diluent tubes from 10 -1

Explain carrageenan, Carrageenan Carrageenan is a collective term for p...

Carrageenan Carrageenan is a collective term for polysaccharides prepared by alkaline extraction (and modification) from red seaweed (Rhodophycae). Carrageenan is a sulfated ga

Explain the absence of passive fit of the prosthesis, Absence of Passive Fi...

Absence of Passive Fit of the Prosthesis A passive fit of the prosthesis reduces long term stresses in the superstructure, implant components and the bone adjacent to the impla

What are the merits of the closed circulatory system, Q. What are the merit...

Q. What are the merits of the closed circulatory system over the open circulatory system? The closed circulatory system is more resourceful since blood circulates only inside b

Show the energy pyramids, Q. Can the amount of available energy in a given ...

Q. Can the amount of available energy in a given trophic level be larger than the available energy in inferior trophic levels? What does that condition means to the conformation of

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd