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 atazanavir, Explain Atazanavir Atazanavir (ATV, Reyataz) - Ata...

Explain Atazanavir Atazanavir (ATV, Reyataz) - Atazanavir (Medical Letter 2003; 45:89) is the first single-agent protease inhibitor with once-daily dosing. In clinical trials

What is the determination of vitamin B2, What is the Determination of vitam...

What is the Determination of vitamin B 2 In the chemical method, the yellow-green fluorescence of aqueous solution of riboflavin is measured. In the microbiological assay, tur

Describe in brief about retina, Describe in brief about retina The reti...

Describe in brief about retina The retina is a highly complex layer of nervous tissue. The photoreceptors are rods and cones for scotopic and photopic vision respectively. The

Bone remodeling, Bone Remodeling Bone remodeling differs from the other...

Bone Remodeling Bone remodeling differs from the other means of bone structure alteration in that osteoblasts and Osteoclasts do not act independently but are coupled and bone

Ultrasonography, Ultrasonography: Ultrasounds are sound waves wit...

Ultrasonography: Ultrasounds are sound waves with a frequency of higher than the upper range of human hearing i.e., approximately 20,000 cycles per second (20 kilohertz).

Explain difference between monosaccharides and disaccharides, What is the d...

What is the difference between monosaccharides and disaccharides? What are some examples of disaccharides and of monosaccharides that form them? Monosaccharides are simple mole

Water absorption and transpiration, Water Absorption and Transpiration ...

Water Absorption and Transpiration The rate of water absorption is controlled by the rate of transpiration. A high water potential in the atmosphere would reduce water loss fr

Define gonads and reproductive system, Define Gonads and Reproductive Syste...

Define Gonads and Reproductive System? With aging, there is decrease in pituitary hormone secretion causing decrease in gonadal hormone production, which causes number of chang

Fine structure of pollen tubes grown in vitro, Fine Structure of Pollen Tub...

Fine Structure of Pollen Tubes Grown in Vitro The growth in pollen tubes is exclusively restricted to the tip. Cytochemical analysis reveals the pollen tip zone to be rich in

Explain the concept of dressing, Explain the concpet of Dressing Dressi...

Explain the concpet of Dressing Dressing: Means medicine wound covering; a bandage or other sterile covering is put on a wound to protect it from infection or further damage.

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