3.2 Water

Question 1

What does it mean when water is described as polar?

Answer 1

Water has an uneven distribution of charge within the molecule - hydrogen end of the molecule is more positive than the oxygen end.

Question 2

What metabolic reactions occur in water?

Answer 2

Hydrolysis and condensation

Question 3

What does it mean by “Water has a high heat capacity”?

Answer 3

a lot of energy is needed to warm up the water - acts as a buffer

Question 4

Is water a solvent?

Answer 4

yes

Question 5

What does it mean by “water has a large latent heat of vapourisation”?

Answer 5

Evaporation provides a cooling effect with little water loss.

Question 6

What does strong cohesion allow?

Answer 6

enables effective transport of water - supports the columns of water

Question 7

When does water have the highest density?

Answer 7

at 4 degrees, so ice is less dense then water so it floats

Question 8

How does water provide good support?

Answer 8

It is incompressible

Question 9

What is capillary action?

Answer 9

process by which water can rise up a narrow tube against the force of gravity - cohesion and adhesion

Question 10

What type of bonding is used in water?

Answer 10

Hydrogen bonding