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

Chlorophyll, Chlorophyll is the pigment in the green plants which absorbs ...

Chlorophyll is the pigment in the green plants which absorbs solar energy.   chlorophyll a -  It is a green photosynthetic pigment common to all the photosynthetic organisms.

Pvcs during recovery, As the heart rapidly slows during recovery from exerc...

As the heart rapidly slows during recovery from exercise, PVCs commonly occur and usually have no clinical significance. This may be a time when metabolic adjustments in the heart

Show imbalances of basal nuclei, Q. Show Imbalances of basal nuclei? BA...

Q. Show Imbalances of basal nuclei? BASAL NUCLEI - Gray matter "islands" located deep within cerebral white matter. These nuclei process a variety of descending motor informat

What is neuron cell body, Q. What is an example of a situation in which the...

Q. What is an example of a situation in which the neuron cell body is located in a part of the body and its axonal terminal portion is in another distant part of the body? Why does

Compare the time-course to the rising phase, Assume you are injecting a sub...

Assume you are injecting a sub threshold depolarizing current step into a neuron. Draw the corresponding membrane voltage response; be sure to indicate the shape of the voltage cha

Explain what is biomes and their types, Explain what is Biomes and their ty...

Explain what is Biomes and their types? Scientists study biological systems as units. For instance, an ecosystem unit consists of a community and its physical environment. The

Why does thermal inversion increases air pollution, Q. Why does thermal inv...

Q. Why does thermal inversion increases air pollution? What harm can thermal inversion cause to humans? The Thermal inversion confines at low altitude a layer of pollutants tha

How is cancer usually treated, Q. How is cancer usually treated? If the...

Q. How is cancer usually treated? If the cancer is in its initial stage cure is often done by surgical removal of the neoplastic tissue. The Cancers already disseminated are of

Newcastle disease / ranikhet disease (nd/rd), N e wcastle disease / Ranik...

N e wcastle disease / Ranikhet disease (ND/RD) This disease is caused by Newcastle disease virus (NDV) belonging to the genus Paramyxovirus of the family Paramyxoviridae. Alo

Explain about the derived proteins, Explain about the Derived Proteins? ...

Explain about the Derived Proteins? These are not naturally taking place proteins and are obtained from simple proteins by the action of enzymes and chemical agents, heat, mech

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