Water Flashcards
What is Water used For
Water is the medium in which most processes of life occur.
Molecules that are Polar or Non-Polar
Glucose: Polar
Amino Acids: Depending on R group
Oxygen: Non-Polar
NaCl: Ionic
Fats: Non-Polar
Hydrogen Bond Weakness
Hydrogen Bonds are weak and can be broken easily, however, due to water having a large amount of hydrogen bonds it contributes to its stability and strength.
Solubility of Molecules
Glucose: Soluble
Amino Acids: Depending on R group
Oxygen: Soluble due to small size
NaCl: Soluble
Fats: Insoluble
Significance of Adhesion
Water is attracted to the cellulose cell wall of the xylem and sticks to it to rise against gravity.
Helps bring water upwards from the soil into the roots.
Mode of Transport for Molecules
Glucose: Dissolved in blood plasma
Amino Acids: Dissolved in blood plasma
Oxygen: Attaches to the hemoglobin of the RBC
NaCl: Ionizes into Na and Cl in plasma
Fats: Carried in blood plasma inside lipoprotein complexes with a single layer of phospholipids
Reasons for Retention of Water on Earth
Earth’s distance from the Sun ensures that the temperature will never be high enough for water to boil which makes water get retained much more easily.
When meteorites heat up, they cool down once they come to earth and condense their water vapor into liquid water.
Earth has strong gravity which holds oceans tightly to its surface and holds gases in the atmosphere.
Hydrogen Bonding
The attraction between slightly positive and slightly negative regions of two different polar molecules.
Location of Goldilocks Zone
The location of the Goldilocks Zone depends on:
The size of the star and amount of energy it emits
The size of the planet which determines strength of gravity and atmospheric pressure
The more planets there are in the Goldilocks Zone, the higher chance there is for extraterrestrial life to exist.
Importance of Hydrogen Bonding in Water
Cohesion in water helps transport water in the xylem.
Adhesion between water and cell walls helps defy gravity to travel up xylem.
Thermal property is as much energy is required to break the hydrogen bond.
Solvent property of water with hydrophilic molecules.
Significance of Solvent
Water acts as a medium for all metabolic reactions in the cytoplasm.
Water acts as a transport medium in plants and animals.
Significance of Cohesion
Cohesion is important for water to move up xylem vessels in plants.
Cohesion creates surface tension which allows some insects to move on water’s surface.
Properties of Water
Cohesive Properties: Can stick to each other.
Adhesive Properties: Can stick to surfaces.
Solvent Properties: Can dissolve hydrophilic molecules easily.
Thermal Properties: Hydrogen bonds require a large amount of heat energy to break.
Water Physical Properties Consequences on Organisms
Buoyancy: Helps organisms use water as their habitat as they can float without using energy
Viscosity: High viscosity can make it more challenging for aquatic animals to swim efficiently
Thermal Conductivity: Allows warm-blooded animals to have insulating properties and remove excess heat
Specific Heat Capacity: Helps organisms use water as their habitat as water doesn’t change as easily as air does
Goldilocks Zone and Water
Water is the source of life, therefore planets need to be in a specific distance away from the sun in order to have water.
This zone is called “The Goldilocks Zone”.
If a planet is too close, water will vaporize. If a planet is too far, water will freeze.
