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

Causes of mitral regurgitation, Q. Causes of Mitral Regurgitation? Mitr...

Q. Causes of Mitral Regurgitation? Mitral regurgitation is the most common valvular abnormality seen in clinical practice. Different disease processes leading to mitral regurgi

Oxidation of succinate to fimarate, Oxidation of  succinate  to  fimarat...

Oxidation of  succinate  to  fimarate:  This reaction is catalyzed  by succinate dehydrogenase and FAD'  is needed as a cofactor. Malonate, structural of succinate, competitively

Intramuscular route of injection, Intramuscular Route of Injection P...

Intramuscular Route of Injection Purpose When rapid action is required.  When drug would prove irritating to the subcutaneous tissue.  Site selected must be whe

Muscles, what process provides the energy for muscle contraction?

what process provides the energy for muscle contraction?

Define the food pricing, Define the Food Pricing? The pricing of the fo...

Define the Food Pricing? The pricing of the food products bought by the consumer is subject to multifarious factors. Each of the factors as discussed below can affect the prici

Structure of hiv, Structure of HIV HIV is a spherical enveloped virus o...

Structure of HIV HIV is a spherical enveloped virus of about 90-120 nm diameter .In nucleocapsid is icosahedral. Its genome consists of a single stranded RNA filament segmented

Show the model of behaviour change, Behavior Change Communication (BCC) int...

Behavior Change Communication (BCC) interventions that address diabetes mellitus are designed to promote behaviors that prevent diabetes and complications of diabetes. Behavior cha

Name the animals having a single opening as mouth and anus, One example of ...

One example of animals having a single opening to the outside that serves both as mouth as well as anus is: 1. Octopus 2. Asterias 3. Ascidia 4. Fasciola Ascidia i

Metalimnion - summer stratification, Metalimnion - Summer Stratification ...

Metalimnion - Summer Stratification This zone lies below the epilimnion and above the hypolimnion and thus forms the intermediate layer which is non-circulating. The metalimni

Explain the behavioural change communication, Explain the Behavioural chang...

Explain the Behavioural change communication? One of the reasons for the widespread prevalence of PEM in our country is ignorance due to illiteracy, particularly among the fema

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