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

How can you categorize flowering plants, Q. What are the two major groups i...

Q. What are the two major groups into which flowering plants are divided? Angiosperm plants are separated into monocotyledonous (monocots) and dicotyledonous (dicots).

Requirements of glutamine in diverticular disease, Q. Requirements of Gluta...

Q. Requirements of Glutamine in diverticular disease? Glutamine: Wile specific nutrients that may have an impact on diverticula disease have not been studied as thoroughly as t

Of what substance is the plant cell wall made, Q. Of what substance is the ...

Q. Of what substance is the plant cell wall made? Of which monomer is it made? The plant cell wall is made of cellulose. Cellulose is a polymer whose monomer is glucose. There

Movement of body parts, MOVEMENT OF BODY PARTS - Movement of appenda...

MOVEMENT OF BODY PARTS - Movement of appendages bring about locomotion. Perapodia, setae in Annelida, jointed legs in Arthropoda, flat foot in mollusca, tube feat in sta

What are some common laboratory techniques, What are some common laboratory...

What are some common laboratory techniques? During the course of these laboratory sessions, you will be usual to become proficient in the performance of the following laborator

Ephemeral fever, Ephemeral fever It is also known as three days sicknes...

Ephemeral fever It is also known as three days sickness and affected animals suffer from pyrexia, muscular stiffness and lameness. Et i o l o g y :

Sensitive/critical periods: windows of enhanced plasticity, There are speci...

There are specific sensitive/critical periods in development during which acquisition of certain skills is substantially easier than at other times. In the animal domain there are

Assuming the equilibrium potential for sodium ion, Assuming that the equili...

Assuming that the equilibrium potential for sodium ion across a skeletal muscle is +66 mv at a temperature of 37 degree celcius when the external concentration is 145 mM and the in

Show the inflammation triggered by bacterial infection, Q. Which type of de...

Q. Which type of defense cell do bacteria attract and cause to multiply during the inflammation process? What is the name given to the waste material produced by the inflammation t

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