Properties/Roles of Water Flashcards
Which atoms is water made of?
Oxygen and hydrogen
Why is water attracted to each other?
It is a polar molecule.
Importance of water having a high, specific heat capacity.
Means a large amount of energy must be added/removed to change water temp. This means the temp of water tends to not change rapidly so it can act as a habitat for many organisms.
Importance of water having a high latent heat of vaporisation.
Takes a large amount of energy to evaporate water so organisms can cool themselves without losing a lot of water i.e sweating.
Importance of water being a good solvent.
Good for substance transfer e.g blood plasma carries molecules, or the xylem vessel, means organisms can undertake respiration in water.
Importance of water molecules tending to stick together.
Good for substance transfer and causes surface tension where water meets air, providing a habitat on surfaces of water.
Examples of metabolic actions that require water
Hydrolysis, photosynthesis.
Examples of reactions that produce water
Condensation and aerobic respiration.
