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

Major endocrine glands of the human body, Q. What are the major endocrine g...

Q. What are the major endocrine glands of the human body? The major endocrine glands of the human body are the hypophysis (or pituitary), the pineal gland (or pineal body), the

The oxidative phase generates nadph, 1)  The oxidative phase  generates N...

1)  The oxidative phase  generates NADPH The oxidative branch of  the pathway  generates NADPH  and pentose-5-phosphate, through the following  reactions: a)  Glucose-6-pho

Acrodynamics, ACRODYNAM IC S Division of air in lungs. Measured by sp...

ACRODYNAM IC S Division of air in lungs. Measured by spirometer. 1. Tidal Air (T.A.): Quantity of air taken in or given out in a breath 500 cc. 2. Inspiratory Reserv

Is acetylcholine found in brain, Q. Is Acetylcholine found in brain? Ace...

Q. Is Acetylcholine found in brain? Acetylcholine is found in many parts of the brain having particularly high concentrations in the cerebral cortex, limbic system, basal, foreb

How sex chromosomes of the xy system -sex determination, Concerning the sex...

Concerning the sex chromosomes of the XY system which type of gamete do the male and the female individuals respectively produce? An Individual of the female sex is XX and thus

What is katal, What is katal katal : the amount of  enzyme that  tran...

What is katal katal : the amount of  enzyme that  transforms  1 mol  of substrate into product in one second.

Define st elevation in avr, Q. Define ST Elevation in aVR? Lead aVR oft...

Q. Define ST Elevation in aVR? Lead aVR often develops ST elevation as a reciprocal of ST depression in lead V2 to V6 or leads 2 and 3. It may occasionally show ST elevation in

Name the joint disorders that s more a risk, In Reggie's case, he fractured...

In Reggie's case, he fractured the proximal end of his right femur, an integral component of his hip. Name the joint disorders that Reggie is more a risk of in (a) the short term a

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