Water

Question 1

what type of molecule is water ?

Answer 1

polar molecule - due to the uneven distribution of charge
- oxygen atoms are more electronegative than the hydrogen atoms and attract the electrons more strongly, causing one end of the molecule to be more positive than the other - ionic substances can dissolve in water

Question 2

what occurs as water is polar solvent ?

Answer 2

many metabolic reactions occur

Question 3

does water have a low/high specific heat capacity ?

Answer 3

high specific heat capacity - so lots of energy is required to change the temperature so minimises temperature fluctuations

Question 4

water has a relatively large heat of vaporisation so …

Answer 4

the evaporation of water provides a cooling effect with little water loss

Question 5

how does water molecules stick together ?

Answer 5

hydrogen bonding between adjacent water molecules - transported in plants in xylem tubes

Question 6

cohesion ? - water

Answer 6

surface tension at the water-air boundary is high

Question 7

adhesion ? - water

Answer 7

sides of tube-like cells

Question 8

why is the max density of water 4 Degrees Celsius ?

Answer 8

ice is less dense than water as the water molecules are spread out and fixed in place - so ice floats on top of the water creating an insulating layer
- increases the chance of survival of organisms in large bodies of water as it prevents them from freezing when temperatures decrease

Question 9

water is incompressible so

Answer 9

it provides good support and can be used in hydraulic mechanisms