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

Explain non-starch polysaccharides, NON-STARCH POLYSACCHARIDES A polysa...

NON-STARCH POLYSACCHARIDES A polysaccharide often termed as complex carbohydrate. Besides starch, a mixture of substances called non starch polysaccharide (NSP), also constitut

Starch, why is it necessary to grind the food samples before testing?

why is it necessary to grind the food samples before testing?

What benefits can commensalism offer to a species, What benefits can commen...

What benefits can commensalism offer to a species? Commensalism may include obtainment of food (for instance, the innocuous bacteria of the human gut), shelter or support (epip

Define health and feeding problems among elderly, Define Health and Feeding...

Define Health and Feeding Problems among Elderly? Malnutrition, both obesity and under nutrition, are common problems linked with elderly.  Some of the common disorders such as

Homeopathic cures, If water dousing, homeopathic cures, and so on work for ...

If water dousing, homeopathic cures, and so on work for just me but not for anyone else, it is still science.

Is there a exchange of cells between the mother, Is there a exchange of cel...

Is there a exchange of cells between the mother and the fetus through the placenta? Under normal conditions, there is not a passage of cells across the placenta during gestati

Polar bear is adapted to its environment, Give three ways in which a polar ...

Give three ways in which a polar bear is adapted to its environment. A polar bear is adapted to its environment by its high ratio of bulk to surface area, a thick water-repelle

Describe the phylum chordata in animal kingdom, Describe the Phylum Chordat...

Describe the Phylum Chordata in animal kingdom? This is the other group of animals along with the Echinodermata whose anus develops prior to the mouth's development in the embr

Nutritional requirement for catch up growth for infant - chd, Define Specia...

Define Specialized Nutritional Requirements for catch up growth for infants with CHD? The nutritional requirement for catch up growth for infants with CHD is listed in Table. B

Determine the carbon based materials, Carbon Based Materials These incl...

Carbon Based Materials These include Pyrolytic carbon, polycrystalline (Vitreous Carbon), and carbon/silicon interstitial combination. Vitreous Carbon -Solid or porous vitre

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